After Dinner Mint
by The Great Hunt
Summary: Sequel to the infamous "Cupcakes". Gore/character death. Twilight leads the investigation into the Cupcake murders, with many unexpected twists and turns on her journey. Shipping warning: Rainbow Dash/Applejack; Rarity/Pinkie; Twilight/Fluttershy. Reviews welcomed.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own _My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic_. _My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic_ is the property of Hasbro and any other legal owners. Any other works referenced by the author not property of the author are property of their respective owners. Original characters that appear in this fanfic are mine.

**NOTE:** This is a sequel to the infamous "Cupcakes" fanfic. Character death is a given. The first paragraph is taken from "Cupcakes", with the story taken from there. Gore is present. Viewing the episode "Too Many Pinkie Pies" before reading would also be useful, as some major plot points come from that particular episode. This fanfic is more "sad" than "horror", but still rated Mature. Shipping warning: Rainbow Dash/Applejack; Rarity/Pinkie Pie; Twilight/Fluttershy. I am sure there are some continuity issues, and some out-of-character moments, but this _is_ a fan fiction, not an official canon. Any constructive criticism would be appreciated, as I am still new at writing fan fiction. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 1

The blade sunk into the blue throat and worked its way up to Dash's chin. Coming back down, Pinkie's scalpel then circled Dash's neck. The last think Rainbow Dash felt was her skin being cut away from her skull, and the metal of the blade scraping her teeth.

Than she was gone.

Pinkie stirred at the gruesome mess she had just made. It sunk into her Pinkie head that Rainbow Dash was gone. Pinkie was momentarily sad she would not get another chance to hang our with her friend ever again. No more pranking or aerial stunts. Pinkie cheered up as she saw the last few drops of Dash's life force drip into a pan. These ingredients would make the best cupcakes! And the body was relatively well preserved. Maybe she could...keep the skin...stuff Rainbow like one of those safari trophies...and keep her friend forever! She had both the special ingredient and her friend...she could have her cupcake and eat it too. Pinkie chuckled at this pun.

Her chuckling was interrupted by the opening of the basement door. In the doorway was a purple alicorn.

"What the...?" Twilight Sparkle exclaimed, stupefied by the sight before her.

No no no. This was suppose to be an exclusive party. Twilight wasn't invited...her number hadn't come up. But since she had crashed the party, Pinkie figured, might as well collect some more ingredients. Pinkie had made cupcakes from earth, unicorn, and pegasus ponies, but never alicorn...these would be extra special cupcakes. Excited at the prospect of trying a new recipe, Pinkie charged at Twilight, bloody knife in her mouth. The startled Twilight shot out a few sparks from her horn, stopping Pinkie in her place, knife cluttering on the floor as Pinkie fell. Now that the immediate danger had passed, Twilight surveyed the room more, until her glaze stopped at a blue pegasus on a rack.

"Dear Celestia, no."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Mighty nice of ya to git rid of those varmints eating up all ma apples, Fluttershy" said an orange earth pony to a yellow pegesus walking besides her in Ponyville.

"Oh, it was no trouble at all, Applejack," replied the yellow pegesus.

"Them new cupcakes Pinkie Pie is excited about are still on me," said Applejack as the two ponies turned a corner.

"She really is excited about them," commented Flutershy.

"Yeah. That pony sure does know how to bake a cupcake. Ah swear they taste better each time I eat 'em," observed Applejack.

As the two ponies neared Sugercube Corner, they were stopped by a large crowd in front of the bakery.

"I know there's a special today, but Ah've never seen Sugercube Corner have a line out the door before," said Applejack.

"Doesn't really look like a line at all," observed Fluttershy.

"Let's see what all this is about," said Applejack as she pushed through the crowd towards the store, Fluttershy following muttering "excuse us, sir...pardon us, ma'am" to each pony they passed. Applejack turned her head and raised an eyebrow at the sight of the yellow tape labeled "CRIME SCENE DO NOT ENTER" circling the shop.

"What in the hay is goin' on here?" said Applejack.

"No one's sure yet. Just that something bad's happened inside," said Mr. Cake, the shop's co-proprietor answered.

"We haven't even been allowed inside," added Mrs. Cake. "We went out during lunch to run some errands, just leaving Pinkie to run things while we were gone, and we came back to a bunch of policeponies."

Suddenly, the crowd was broken up by a hospital carriage pulled by two stallions driving up to the front door.

"Gang way, gang way everypony, make room for the paramedic ponies," ordered one of the policeponies.

"A hospital carriage...somepony must be mighty hurt," commented Applejack.

"Gulp, I hope Pinkie is okay," said Fluttershy. As if in answer, a stretcher containing an unconscious pink earth pony was carried out of the bakery. Close behind was Twilight, talking to a police sargent pony.

"I want a pair of armed police ponies by her at all times, and for her to be in restraints at all times. Notify me the moment she is able to talk," Twilight ordered to the sargent. The sargent answered "yes Your Highness" and walked off to perform his orders.

"What's Pinkie doing in a stretcher?" asked Rarity as she walked up. "I just heard some commotion was occurring at Sugercube Corner, and I stopped by to see if Pinkie was okay."

"We don't know, but Twilight sure does," said Applejack, walking up to the edge of the police tape to talk to Twilight.

"Hey, Twilight!" called Applejack, getting Twilight's attention. "What's a going here?"

"Hey guys," said Twilight, walking up to her friends. "Listen, something _very_ bad has happened, and as Alicorn, I am in charge of the investigation."

"What happened to Pinkie Pie?" asked Rarity. Twilight shrugged.

"We're...well, I know how she got hurt, but what she was doing in that basement...I'm not sure yet," Twilight answered, through she seemed to be speaking more to herself than answering Rarity's question. "Did _she_ do that to Rainbow Dash...no, she couldn't...perhaps she was a victim down there, along with Dash, too, and was in shock when she saw me...after seeing...THAT...anypony would be on the defensive."

"What the hay you talkin' 'bout, Twilight? What's happened to Dashie?" questioned Applejack with growing concern in her voice. As if in answer, a pair of medic ponies brought out a stretcher with a bodybag on top.

"No, no. It couldn't..." stuttered Applejack. Breaking through the police tape, she rushed to the bodybag, pushing off the two medic ponies.

"You don't wanna-" begun one of the medic ponies as Applejack unzipped the bag. Upon seeing its contents, she fell on the ground, crying.

"WHAT THE BUCK DID THAT BITCH TO DO MY DASHIE!?" cried Applejack into the air, collapsing again. One of the medic ponies quickly zipped the bag, only a bloody, cyan leg visible to the crowd before being stuffed into the bag.

"Applejack..." began Twilight, walking up to the distraught pony. "She was like that when I walked into the basement. Pinkie rushed me with a knife. I'd like to think she didn't do..._that_...but I'll have to do my investigation first. Does explain the disappearances..." ended Twilight.

"You mean, there were more ponies?" asked Fluttershy, walking up to comfort Applejack.

"Not quite sure _how_ many...and at least one griffon," replied Twilight.

"Surely Pinkie didn't do these despicable acts...she just happened to escape when you came down?" commented Rarity.

"Like I said, I cannot answer anything for sure until I conduct my investigation. But this I promise: I will find out the truth, and I will bring the guilty party to justice," answered Twilight.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

After Twilight had some police ponies escort her friends to their homes, she returned to the basement of Sugercube Corner to oversee the investigation. Shuttering as she neared the door, she strengthened her resolve by reminding herself "it is my duty to solve this case, both as a Princess of Equestria, and as a friend to the victims." With that, she opened the door and crossed the threshold into insanity.

A photographer was snapping the crime scene section by section as another police pony was bagging evidence. The room, besides being lit up and filled with CSI ponies, was just as disturbing as Twilight had left it. Streamers of intestines circled the room, while helium filled organs attached to string covered the ceiling. "Life's a party" was written in red letters all over the walls. Blood, some oxidised to a dull brown; other spots still bright red, covered almost every inch of the room. The freshest blood was, of course, covering the rack...

"Constable Mullins, status report," said Twilight to a nearby police pony.

"We have found several instruments that appear to have been utilized for torture, such as hot nails, electrical wires and generator, various surgical tools and knifes, a hack saw, syringes that appear to have been used to administer adrenaline, a vial of medical grade adrenaline, and a bottle of zopiclone," answered Constable Mullins.

"Zopiclone...it's affects are similar to benzodizepine...prescribed for treatment of insomnia...and also used as a date rape drug," commented Twilight. Turning to her assistant, a purple dragon, "Spike, send an inquiry to all hospitals, clinics, and doctor's offices in Ponyville about any missing adrenaline, benzodiazephines, Z-drugs, and surgical instruments." After Spike finished writing the inquiry request, Twilight continued, "Spike, take this note. The coroner's report should be interesting...I expect zopiclone in Dash's system, along with abnormally high levels of adrenaline. Though given the evidence of torture, it is likely her adrenal glands were working overtime...high levels of endorphin, her body's attempt to lessen the pain, are also expected."

Turning away from Spike, Twilight asked Constable Mullins "any other updates?"

"Detective Hooves requests permission to search the suspects personal quarters," answered Constable Mullins.

"I grant a royal warrant to search this entire establishment...did you say Detective Hooves, as in Sherpony Hooves, the world famous investigator?"

"At your service, Your Highness," came a voice from behind Twilight. Twilight turned and saw a gray unicorn, wearing a deer stalker hat, pipe in mouth, and magnifying glass cutie mark on flank.

"Oh my Celestia, it's you! The world famous super sleuth! I've read all your books!" fangirled Twilight.

"Well, good as always to meet a fan. I just wished it was under better circumstances...and in some nicer décor," said Detective Hooves.

"Yes, most disturbing," observed an earth pony at Hooves' side. This brown pony wore a bowler hat, had a mustache, and a bull pup cutie mark.

"Dr. Bronson!" Twilight fangirled, again.

"At your service, Your Highness," replied Dr. Bronson. "What do you make of it, Hooves?"

"The work of a twisted mind. I don't have a medical degree, like you have, my dear Bronson, but having studied the psyche of the criminal mind has shown me the variety a deranged pony can reason his or her crimes. Sometimes it is inspired by specieist hate, other times by voices from "divine beings", sometimes a belief reptile aliens in the government are making the pony into a vampire who must suck blood to defeat Pitler at his Antarctic base. Other ponies just wish to see Equistia burn. Whatever the reason, we must stop them."

Hooves turned around and motioned at the room. "I deduct, the culprit drugged the victim's cupcake with the zopiclone we found, allowing the culprit to easily bring the victim down into this basement. A half-eaten cupcake was discovered upstairs. I am sure a toxicology test will show zopiclone—or some sort of sedative—in the cupcake. The culprit seems to have been performing some sort of "party", hence the party theme of this basement. Now, as for a motive beyond delusional psychosis, I must search suspect's room. Often a murder will keep some fetish of their crimes. The "dress" made of cutie marks was one such fetish."

"Then let's search Pinkie's room," said Twilight. The three made their way to the second floor of the bakery, into a room with a heart-shaped window.

"A very neat room, for a potential sociopath," remarked Dr. Bronson.

"Pinkie was very sociable. She only really stay here to sleep," remarked Twilight. Hooves opened the closet door.

"Appears she was doing more than just sleeping in here," observed Hooves, staring at a large jar filed with scrapes of paper. Hooves bent down and unrolled on slip.

"Appears I shall be taking you to a party, Princess," remarked Hooves, showing Twilight the scrape of paper with her name on it.

"I bet everypony's name in Ponyville is in that jar," said Twilight.

"This shows _how_ she selected her victims, but does not do a whole lot for _why_," remarked Bronson. Just then, a police pony entered the room.

"Constable Konik reporting," saluted the police pony. "The suspect has regained consciousness, and was well enough we took her to the precinct headquarters awaiting questioning."

"Perhaps now we'll learn the why," remarked Twilight.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When the three ponies, escorted by Constable Konik, reached the precinct headquarters, they were lead to the basement of the station, where the interrogation room was. Through the one-way mirror, they could see Pinkie Pie sitting in a chair. Besides a few bruises, she looked just like the Pinkie Twilight knew, even smiling with those large eyes. Besides Pinkie was a pony in a business suite and tie.

"He informed her she had a right to an attorney, and so she asked for one," said one of the police ponies.

"Well, hopefully she'll say something," replied Twilight, and the three entered the interrogation room and took seats across from Pinkie.

"Ok, Pinkie. We're just gonna ask you some questions," introduced Twilight.

"Remember, Miss Pie, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you," reminded Pinkie's lawyer.

"Yeah yeah. I've seen enough _Law and Order_," Pinkie brushed the lawyer off. "Who are your friends, Twilight?"

"These gentleponies are Detective Sherpony Hooves and his assistant, Dr. Bronson," answered Twilight.

"Ooo! The famous detectives?! I've watched all your movies!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie. Her lawyer just put his face in his hooves and muttered "horse apples" under his breath.

"Now Pinkie, what were you doing before I came into that basement?" asked Twilight.

"Harvesting Rainbow Dash's organs," answered Pinkie Pie matter of factly.

"Ha ha, surely my client must be joking. Right, Miss Pie?" said the sweaty lawyer.

"Nope, I'd just got done removing all her organs and blood," answered Pinkie, making the lawyer face palm.

"And what do you mean by "harvesting", Miss Pie?" asked Hooves.

"Oh, collecting the special ingredient," answered Pinkie.

"Special ingredient for what?" asked Dr. Bronson.

"Cupcakes. I used up the last batch of special ingredient in the cupcakes for Twilight's birthday party, I just had to get some more. And when my Pinkie hand took the paper from my jar, it was Dashie's name," answered Pinkie.

"Wait...you mean...the cupcakes we ate..._I ate_...contained pony?" asked Twilight.

"Yep," said Pinkie. Her lawyer looking more and more defeated.

"Excuse me for a just a sec," said Twilight, getting up and exiting the room.

"Okie dooky loki," replied Pinkie. Twilight rushed to a trash can, and vomited her guts out.

"Dear Celestia...cupcakes is pony!" cried Twilight. Breathing deeply, Twilight collected herself as much as possible before re-entering the room and taking her seat.

"Now, Pinkie. We noticed a lot of...decorations down in that basement. How long have you been doing this?" asked Twilight.

"Hmm..." thought Pinkie.

"Your Highness, perhaps we can make some insanity plea?" interrupted Pinkie's lawyer.

"I'm not crazy! I've been doing this since about a week after I left the Mirror Pool," replied Pinkie.

"Mirror Pool?" Hooves raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Where me and the other clones came from after the 'original' Pinkie Pie went in," answered Pinkie.

"Whoa whoa! You're telling me your one of those clones?" cried Twilight.

"Yep," replied Pinkie.

"But...but...we had that test...with the paint drying...and..." muttered Twilight.

"Well, as you know, while mutations are usually kinda bad, like an extra toe or retardation, advantageous mutations are what lead to variation in our world," replied Pinkie. "I happened to have a mutation that allowed me to have a longer attention span than the 'original' Pinkie. And a mutation that affected my empathy gene."

"If you're one of those clones...oh...poor Pinkie..." tear began to escape Twilight's eyes. "I...I got to leave. You two can continue the interrogation." Twilight rushed out of the police station, back to her library. She fell into her bed and cried into her pillow.

"I...I...killed Pinkie. Oh, why was I so gun ho. I mean, yes, it was cathartic to zap those Pinkies...I mean, everypony gets frustrated at her friends...but she loved the real Pinkie...and I zapped her," cried Twilight. Just then a knock came at the front door. Twilight wiped her eyes and answered the door. A slumped over Applejack, eyes red as the apples she grew, dragged herself into Twilight's residence.

"Ya got any news?" she weakly muttered.

"Yeah...it...wasn't Pinkie," stammered Twilight.

"Good, she can live then. You know the dirty snake-in-the-grass that did no this bucking horse apple?" replied Applejack.

"It was...a Pinkie clone," sighed Twilight, her eyes cast down at the floor.

"Clone? You mean like from that Mirror Pool thing-a-majig?" Applejack tilted her head and raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah...turns out..._sob_...turns out..._sob_...I zapped the wrong Pinkie...I...I zapped the REAL Pinkie," Twilight mustered out, tears filling her eyes.

"So...she's like, in another dimension we can fetch out out of or something?" asked Applejack.

"No...no...the Pinkies I zapped...they became incorporeal...magic in...magic out. I KILLED PINKIE PIE!" shouted Twilight, falling to the floor, face in her hands, with the torrent of tears streaming down her face. "I killed her...I BUCKING KILLED HER. And so, I am also responsible for all the other murdered that clone committed...including Rainbow Dash."

"Now listen here. Ah loved Rainbow Dash, but Ah ain't a blamin' you for nothing. Dat dang blasted Pinkie, all time getting' herself into some sort of crazy foolishness," said Applejack, wrapping her arms around Twilight.

"We all loved Dash," countered Twilight.

"Not the way I did," admitted Applejack. At this Twilight looked into the earth pony's face, her eyes making the connection.

"How long?" asked Twilight.

"Well, Ah never did git da nerve to actually act on it," said Applejack.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. Due to the high mare-to-stallion ratio, female homosexuality is just a given. It's in our culture to deal with that gender imbalance. Like how stallions in Salt Lick City have like a dozen wives," replied Twilight.

"It ain't any public outcry...it's just...when ya friends with somepony, and ya value dat friendship, ya afraid to make that move, as it poisons the well if the other pony doesn't feel da same," explained Applejack.

"I understand what you're saying," replied Twilight.

"Anyway...ain't no use worryin' 'bout it now, what with her gone," sighed Applejack, casting her eyes to the floor. "So, what ya gonna do 'bout that there clone?"

"Well, since it isn't considered a "pony citizen" for legal purposes...I could just zap it like I did...the...rest...of those...clones..." answered Twilight.

"Nah, zaping's too good fer that monster. Hay, hangin' would be too good," replied Applejack, understanding what was going through Twilight's mind as she remembered the zaping.

"Ah also suppose somepony needs to tell Rarity," said Applejack.

"All our friends need to know...why did you mention Rarity in particular?" asked Twilight.

"Rarity and Pinkie had...a very special relationship. Ah was mighty jealous that had the guts to have what Ah wanted with Dash," answered Applejack.

"Really? Rarity and Pinkie. Out of our friend circle, they did not interact much," commented Twilight.

"They were trying to keep it a secrete...Pinkie's family wouldn't have approved, and Rarity was such a social climber, she didn't want the scandal coming out would have brought," said Applejack.

"How did you find out?" asked Twilight.

"Quite awkwardly, actually. Ah just walked in on Pinkie having her tongue deep in...in Rarity's fudge cave...and Rarity a moaning with her 'O' face in full force. Ha ha, we just stared at each other for a moment, and I backed away, all of us having the understanding no one was to talk about it," answered Applejack.

"Ohh, kinky," Twilight commented. This gossip was a nice distraction from the day's horrors.

"Yeah, well...Ah wished me and Dash could have had what they had...now Ah never will," Applejack became sad again.

At that moment, a knock came to the door.

"Who could it be at this time of night?" wondered Twilight as she answered the door. In came Sherpony Hooves.

"Good evening, Princess Twilight. I apology for the late hour, but I feel it is important to update you of our latest findings," said Hooves. He looked at Applejack and added "Um, no offence Miss..."

"Smith. Applejack Smith, of Sweet Apple Acres," answered Applejack.

"Oh, I must say, I greatly enjoy your products. I was wishing to ask for some privacy for the Princess and myself...official police protocol, you understand?" said Hooves.

"Ah understand. Hopefully y'all will be able to wrap the whole mess up, and things can git back to normal...well, as normal as they can," said Applejack. After Applejack bid Twilight and Hooves farewell and left, Hooves addressed Twilight.

"Princess, the status report so far. Toxicology analysis confirmed our suspicions of zopiclone both in the cupcake, and in the victim's blood. A local insomnia clinic reported missing zopiclone, while Ponyville General Hospital reported missing adrenaline, and a diabetic clinic reported missing syringes. After you left, the suspect signed a full admission of guilt, much to the protest of her ambulance-chasing lawyer. The autopsy on the victim is complete. She was drugged with zopiclone, then her cutie marks were skinned from her flanks. Both wings were amputated, with a large amount of surrounding flesh removed, probably due to the victim struggling. The nails in the victim's hooves were used to perform electrical torture on the victim. The pain caused by this torture likely caused the victim to pass out, after which the culprit used the syringe to administer the adrenaline to wake the victim up. Then the victim's abdominal cavity was opened, and her organs were removed, thus causing death."

Twilight stared in amazement. "I did this," she uttered.

"Um...Princess, Miss Pie admitted to these crimes, and in any case I do not believe-"

"I killed the real Pinkie, thus leaving this psycho Pinkie clone from Tartarus to terrorize Ponyville," replied Twilight.

"We...all make mistakes, Princess," said Hooves.

"Doesn't bring any of the victim's back...speaking of which, how many ponies were 'decorations'?" asked Twilight.

"The forensic anthologists have not yet matched all the remains...but there are at least six pegasus, a griffon, and a rabbit," answered Hooves.

"The griffon is probably Gilda, that rude friend of Dash's. Fluttershy has said Angle Bunny has been missing for a while...but, to be honset, Angle Bunny did kind of deserve it," commented Twilight. "When all of the remains have been separated, we can review missing pony reports and match up records."

"Well, we have the culprit, and a trial does not seem necessary, what with the confession and the legal status of magical clones in Equestia. I believe my job here, what little there was, is done. Dr. Bronson and myself will depart Ponyville in a few days," replied Hooves.

"What do I do with the Pinkie clone?" asked Twilight.

"I am an investigator, not a magistrate or judge. Through if it were up to me, I'd recommend drawing and quartering," answered Hooves. Biding Twilight farewell, Hooves left Twilight with her thoughts about what decision to make.


	5. Chapter 5

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Thank you to everyone reading, following, and reviewing. This feedback really does motivate me to keep writing/ to update regularly. I had to update this chapter. Originally, this chapter read as if Applejack did not know about Rarity and Pinkie's relationship, but the reason Twilight knows is because is because Applejack told her of walking in on Rarity and Pinkie. This chapter's edits clarify that Rarity did not realise Applejack was ever there, but only Pinkie had.

Chapter 5

Twilight had a troubled sleep, and so woke up groggy the next morning. Luckily, Spike had already percolated a pot of strong coffee, and was in the process of frying some eggs and toasting some toast. Twilight sat at the table, using her magic to pour some coffee. Picking up the newspaper as she sipped her coffee, Twilight saw the headline

SERIAL PONY KILLER CAUGHT

DISAPPEARANCES ARE MURDERS

MURDER AT BAKERY BASEMENT

"I guess soon I'll have to talk to the press, uhh," moaned Twilight.

"I could talk to them," replied Spike.

"Fat chance," remarked Twilight. "Your last run-in with the press didn't end so well. Remember Gabby Gums?"

"Aw, that was just some dumb old school paper the CMC and Diamond Tiara ran," spat Spike.

"Exactly. If you mishandled some foals asking simply questions, how do you expect to do with professional journalists on perhaps the crime of the century in Ponyville? They will want to sensationalise this for ratings for sure," commented Twilight. Spike simply shrugged in defeat.

"Just leave the press to me," confirmed Twilight. "Before any press release, however, I will go over to Rarity's."

"What for?" asked Spike.

"Well, for one, to get a dress for the press release. And secondly, to see how she is taking all this," answered Twilight.

"Can I come?" asked Spike. Twilight was well aware of Spike's crush on Rarity. However, in light of what Applejack had revealed last night, Twilight wanted to keep this conversation very private, and decided a baby dragon with bad social skills might not be the best secret keeper.

"Um, no Spike. Girls only on this trip. Perhaps next time," said Twilight to a disappointed Spike.

After finishing her breakfast and washing up a bit, Twilight trotted to Rarity's. When she knocked on the door, she was answered by a tiny, while and purple foal.

"Why hello, Sweetie Belle," greeted Twilight.

"**PREPARE TO BE ASSIMILATED**" answered Sweetie Belle in a strange, robotic voice.

"Sweetie Belle?" asked Twilight in confusion.

"Ha ha, gottcha!" laughed Sweetie Belle in her normal voice.

"That was a pretty good one!" remarked Twilight, laughing.

"Yeah. Imagine me, a robot, silly. Almost as silly as Fluttershy being the leader of a doomsday cult," said Sweetie Belle.

"Or Pinkie speaking in a Russian accent," added Twilight. Twilight's voice regained it's serious tone when she asked "so, is your sister here?"

"Oh, um...she's here," answered Sweetie Belle, her eyes looking down at the floor.

"Is...something wrong?" asking Twilight.

"She...she hasn't come out of her room much. And I hear crying...a lot," Sweetie Belle answered.

"Perhaps I can comfort her," remarked Twilight.

"I hope so. I've never seen her his sad before," said Sweetie Belle. With that, Sweetie Belle motioned Twilight into the house. "I gotta go...Apple Bloom and Scootaloo want to see if digging to China will reveal our cutie marks."

"Good luck," said Twilight. If Twilight hadn't more pressing concerns on her mind, she would have suggested to Sweetie Belle for her and the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders to try something there were _good_ at, not just some crazy scheme. But right now, Rarity was Twilight's main concern.

Twilight walked up the stairs to the muffled sounds of weeping coming from Rarity's bedroom. Twilight gently knocked on the door.

"Yes, Sweetie Belle?" asked Rarity's voice from behind the door. Her voice was slightly hoarse, and very sad.

"Not Sweetie Belle, just Twilight," replied Twilight.

"Oh...Twilight...I'll be out in a minute, darling," said Rarity. After a few minutes of clopping, brushing and wiping sounds, the door opened to reveal Rarity. Twilight observed that, for most ponies, she was very well kept. Her main was clean and brushed in a casual way, her hooves were relatively clean, and her teeth were white. Rarity was not most ponies. The lack of the fashionista's usual pristine, immaculate appearance clued Twilight that something was wrong. That, along with the dull red eyes staring back at her.

"What brings you here, Twilight?" asked Rarity in a slightly distracted voice.

"I...was just wanting to see how you were holding up to...everything that has been happening," answered Twilight.

"Okay...let's talk over some tea..." said Rarity.

"Oh...yes...that would be ….lovely," replied Twilight. Twilight thought about offering to make the tea herself, but then thought that the distraction of activity might be good for Rarity. A few minutes later, they were both sitting in Rarity's tea room.

"So, how have you been doing?" asked Twilight, sipping some tea, finding it a little too bitter, and using her magic to stir in a couple of sugar cubes.

"I've...just been making some dresses...for us," replied Rarity.

"Oh, what sort of dresses?" asked Twilight, trying to sound more excited that she normally would be, picking up on Rarity's lack of usual enthusiasm for fashion.

"Just some...black funeral gowns...for when we...for when we..." trailed off Rarity. She got up, and Twilight followed her into her work room. There were four black moaning dresses with matching hats. Simple, yet stylish. In the corner, were two dresses. One was cyan with rainbow accents. The other, a bright pink dress with gemstones and diamonds in the shape of balloons.

"Who's dresses are those?" asked Twilight, pointing to pair of colourful dresses.

Rarity looked over at the dress, looked down, and whispered "Pinkie and Rainbow Dash's...funeral shrouds."

"Oh...it is wonderful...I'm sure they would have loved it...but Pinkie's not dead," added Twilight.

"Don't humour me, Twilight. What Pinkie did was...was something most ponies will find unforgivable...they don't know her like...like I do," said Rarity, staring off into space.

"Listen, Rarity. There is something you should know," said Twilight. Rarity turned around and stared at Twilight.

"It really wasn't Pinkie," said Twilight. At this, Rarity cheered up.

"I knew...just knew...Pinkie did not have that in her to do that..." said Rarity softly.

"Well...when I sad 'really wasn't Pinkie;...it wasn't really Pinkie. You remember those clones from the Mirror Pool?" said Twilight, rubbing the back of her head.

"Yes. You mean you missed one?" said Rarity. "Did you find it? And when will you let our Pinkie go?"

"There is...only one Pinkie now..." said Twilight. Rarity's expression was confused at first...but then her brain made the connections. Not quite talking to Twilight, more to herself.

"Yes, yes. That would explain it...that week after, she did not act quite right. Sure, to y'all she did...but intimately, physically, in our bed...she acted like a frilly on her first date...making amateur mistakes...forgetting all of my sensitive places...not fully knowing _her_ own body...she was a quick learner, and Pinkie was a strange bird...and she was just as warm and loving..." Rarity trailed off. Looking back to Twilight, Rarity suddenly remembered Twilight shouldn't understand what she was saying.

"Pinkie and I...were...close. Closer than to the rest of the Elements of Harmony...a romantic, physical love. We didn't tell anypony for several reasons. That sort of announcement tends to disrupts the dynamics of a group...and the Elements of Harmony was needed to protect Equestia. Less idealistically, while Pinkie did not have the best relationship with her family, she did not want to alienate them completely, and being with another mare would have done that...for that matter, I did not want to deal with the scandal of coming out...I know Ponyville is more accepting than rock farms...but still, what would I friends think? I'd imagine Applejack would be scandalised..."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," muttered Twilight off handily. She knew when her friends told her something in confidence, as she was determine not to betray that confidence. Luckily for her, Rarity, in her frazzled state, did not see the implications of Twililight's remark. Twilight also realised she had misunderstood Applejack's original report. Only Pinkie had noticed Applejack, and made the understanding with her eyes. The mental image of Pinkie "eye talking" to Applejack while having her tongue in Rarity's bum amused Twilight for a second, but then her friend's sadness before her instantly erased any humour from her. Rarity continued.

"I...I don't know how to feel about that clone...she certainly is insane and evil...to have committed all those murders...but, with me...in a garden walk, drinking tea...or in our bed...she had her love...what are you going to do with her?"

Twilight frowned. "I'm not sure."


	6. Chapter 6

**AUTHOR NOTE: **I appreciate all of the attention, reviews, and follows this story has received. A day ago, I saw a post on Pintrest remarking on the lack of a psycho Applejack story. I intend to remedy that, but first I need to complete this story. Please do not worry; I won't rush this story to get to work on another one. In fact, due to work/personal life, new chapters might come at longer intervals. I have the story mapped out, just putting it to paper takes some time. Anyway, on to the feature presentation.

Chapter 6

Twilight left Rarity's no less conflicted than she had entered, through she now had a nice pinstripe business suit for her press release. Wanting to go somewhere to clear her head, Twilight made her way to Fluttershy's cottage on the edge of the Everfree forest. Unlike Applejack's unrequited love and Rarity and Pinkie's kinky sex, Fluttershy did not have any of the relationship issues to occupy Twilight's mind. The shy yellow pegesus simply did not have enough presence to get into Twilight's mind, though Twilight did want to talk to an uninterested party (well, a party that did not have any sexual tension involved) Twilight smiled at this as she knocked on the front door of the cottage.

"Oh, um, hello, Twilight," Fluttershy greeted in her characteristically soft voice.

"Hello, Fluttershy. Mind if I visit and talk for a bit?" asked Twilight. At this, Fluttershy gave a small smile and replied

"That would be lovely. Please come in. I'll brew some tea."

Twilight took at seat at Fluttershy's dinner table. The usual menagerie of various small animals wandered around Fluttershy's cottage. With a sudden lump in her throat, Twilight noted Angel Bunny's absence. No pony besides Fluttershy cared much for the rude leporid, but Fluttershy's love of Angel Bunny, and her corresponding sadness upon news of his death, made Twilight consider the merits of telling Fluttershy. Twilight had come here to get away from the awful memories of Sugar Cube Corner's basement, not make one of her friends cry...to the honest, the damn bunny had been the least of Twilight's worries, only seeing the cottage without the familiar furry snarl had brought Fluttershy's pet into her mind at all. Twilight was still undecided as Fluttershy sat a tray with tea pot, sugar, cream, lemon, two tea cups and saucers on the table.

"One lump, or two?" asked Fluttershy as she poured tea into Twilight's cup.

"Um, just one, please," answered Twilight. The thought of sugar made Twilight remember the spice's special connection with Pinkie. Pinkie would have probably filled the entire cup with a bag of sugar. How that pony did not have diabetes was beyond Twilight's comprehension...through it wasn't a defective pancreas that did Pinkie in...

"Is everything, um, alright?" asked Fluttershy, bringing Twilight back to the cottage.

"Well...it would be rude of me to say how silly a question that is, given..." replied Twilight.

"Yes, I understand...well, um, as best as someone who doesn't have to investigate the murder of one of her friends by another friend. I miss Rainbow Dash deeply, and obliviously I cannot be friends with Pinkie anymore, but you had to see, well, what Applejack saw in that...bag," Fluttershy explained. After a pause, she added "was the basement...bad?"

"Bad...does not begin to describe that place. Evil is probably the closest word for it," answered Twilight.

"Oh, um, please don't tell me. I hate to imagine Pinkie doing anything like...that. It is just to hard to believe...Pinkie, the silly party pony, harming a fly...much less..."said Fluttershy.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, it wasn't our Pinkie," replied Twilgiht.

Fluttershy's noted Twilight's words. "What do you mean by 'our Pinkie'...was it a Changeling or something?"

"It was one of those clones from that damn Mirror Pool," answered Twilight. She stared into the black tea before her...was that how Pinkie had seen herself?

"Oh dear, that is awful," noted Fluttershy. After a moment, she added "where is 'our Pinkie'?" Fluttershy's soft, innocent voice made the emotional strength Twilight had been maintaining all day break down, and with it her calm voice.

"I..._sob_...killer her. I...I BUCKING ZAPPED HER!" Twilight buried her head in her hooves as the tears came freely to her eyes.

"Oh, you must feel extremely guilty," replied Fluttershy very softly.

"Yeah..._sniff_...and not just Pinkie...all those ponies are dead because..._sob_...because of me," cried Twilight. Fluttershy wrapped her arms around Twilight.

"Hindsight is 20/20...you had to get rid of those Pinkies terrorizing Ponyville, and that test was the best way we thought of," said Fluttershy.

"I was just so stupid...those clones would not have known Pinkie's history...should have asked here sisters' names or something...and the glee I did as I zapped...dear Celestria, I make myself sick to my stomach," cringed Twilight.

"We all make mistakes," said Fluttershy. "Like Pinkie making all of those clones of her. The original sin was her's."

"Pinkie...never had the best judgment...or common sense," noted Twilight.

"She was surprisingly knowledgeable, like the Parasprite infestation...musically talented, too," said Fluttershy.

"Yeah, and I am Celestria's hand-chosen pupil and an alicorn...I guess everypony is fallible, even Princesses," observed Twilight. "Everything is just...so bucked...worse than you know."

"I know we have lost two great friends," replied Fluttershy.

"Well, it was a bit more than just that," answered Twilight.

"I guess we will need to find a new Element of Loyalty and Laughter," remarked Fluttershy.

"Well, yeah, that is true, but I was meaning something else," said Twilight. Fluttershy looked into Twilight's face.

"Applejack...had romantic feelings for Rainbow Dash...explains why she took the initial news the worst. And Rarity and Pinkie had secretly seeing each other for a while, so Rarity is dealing with the lost of her lover...at least I can talk to you, though I do have some bad news for you." Fluttershy's mouth made a small frown.

"We found Angel Bunny down there," Twilight said. She had expected Fluttershy to break down crying, but was impressed with her friend when her eyes just looked down for a minute and then met her own again.

"I'll...I'll miss Angel Bunny. Thank you for telling me, though..." said Fluttershy.

"Well, you are taking that better than I thought," said Twilight, more a thought out loud than an actual comment to Fluttershy. 

"Many of my animal friends become...'everfree'...it's just the nature of...um...nature's cycle, so I am use to it," Fluttershy remarked. "Though all this...has reminded me of the frailty of life...just how sudden it can end...and all we can leave behind." Fluttershy moved her face closer to Twilight's...mere inches.

"I...um...want to admit something," Fluttershy whispered, her hot breath hitting Twilight's nose.

"Yes?" said Twilight. She had never seen this shy pony get to close to anypony before.

"I...I love you," she answered, the last three words in an unusual confidence just before her lips met Twilight's. The kiss seemed to last forever, although in reality it was only a few seconds before Fluttershy broke off. Twilight was caught quite unaware.

"Um...how long?" Twilight finally stammered out.

"Well...um...ever since I saw you, my heart skipped a beat...that's why I was being to extra shy that first meeting," answered Fluttershy, nervously looking at her friend.

"Um...are...are you mad?" she stammered out. Twilight seemed to consider her question for a moment, but then closed in and answered

"No." before returning Fluttershy's kiss. This kiss lasted much longer, was much deeper; their tongues exploring each others' mouth. When they finally broke, each had a smile on her face.

"I've never really thought about romance before...but you know, this...just sorts of clicks...so I'm not gonna question it," said Twilight.

Fluttershy smiled. "Oh, I am so glad you feel the same. I was so afraid you'd be uncomfortable...after all, we are friends."

"Friends who can kiss each other," added Twilight. "Though, I would like to keep things kind of slow." Twilight thought of Rarity and Pinkie, and decided that anilingus would probably not be a part of her relationship until much later.

"Agreed. It seems a bit weird to say this, as we have know each other so well for awhile, but I feel we need to get to know each other as lovers," replied Fluttershy.

"Yes, yes we do," answered Twilight. And with that, the ponies went into Fluttershy's bedroom.


	7. Chapter 7

**AUTHOR NOTE:** Again, thanks to everyone for all the good reviews, and for all the interest in this fic; it really does make me motivated to write knowing there are readers waiting for the next chapter. I played with the idea of incorporating more "clop", but ultimately decided against it. This fic is still rated Mature, and these next few chapters will really bring that aspect out. Please enjoy!

Chapter 7

Twilight woke up to find herself next to the shy, beautiful yellow pegesus who had opened up her heart to her last night. True to their promise, both had kept things slow. Exposing each other's private views, some light touching. Despite the lightness, Fluttershy's creases across Twilight's flesh felt like electricity with every stroke. While Fluttershy's body at first acted as shy as her personality at Twilight's touches, but the end of the night Fluttershy enjoyed Twilight's hoof as much as Twilight enjoyed hers. Twilight just was not ready to take Fluttershy's maiden innocence. At this Twilight thought back to the moment her own flower had been plucked...

At her Canterlot dorm, Twilight finished reading a book on agility spells. Deciding to practice one of these spells, her horn lit up with a magical aura. Twilight's face cringed in concentration, only to become shocked as she flew across the room, and then suddenly up. The magical aura leaving her horn as her concentration broke, and Twilight fell to the floor. Her legs did the splits as she landed, and although inaudible, Twilight could hear the _tear_...and feel it. In her readings on the subject, Twilight had found two extremes on accounts on de-flowering. Either mares described the sensation as a "pinch" or "bee sting", or it had been a torturous affair involving gallons of blood. For herself, Twilight found her de-flowering to be somewhere in the middle. The ripping had felt worse than a bee sting, but not as painful as nails on a chalk board. And a small drip of blood made its way to the floor. The most awkward part of this whole affair was getting back on all four hooves from her split position.

"Well, I guess I'm a mare now...hmm...not as I imagined...in my dreams I was with Brad Bitt or George Pooney...sometimes both at the same time...eh, I'll just say I fell off a bicycle," Twilight thought to herself as she walked off to bed.

Coming back to the present by Fluttershy's opening eyes, Twilight smiled at her lover.

"Was last night as good for you as it was for me?" Twilight asked.

"Oh, it was amazing!" smiled Fluttershy.

Twilight gave Fluttershy a small kiss, and then sat up on the side of the bed.

"I have to decide what the hay to do with that Pinkie clone," Twilight's voice took a sudden frustrated tone.

"I am sure you will make a good decision," replied Fluttershy.

"Just...I know it isn't Pinkie...but I still feel it is my fault..." said Twilight. "What do you say?" Twilight turned to Fluttershy. Twilight was expecting Fluttershy to say something about forgiveness or some compassionate thing like that. Fluttershy considered her response for a moment, and answered:

"I think a story would illustrate my thoughts better; do you have a moment to listen to it?" asked Fluttershy.

"Okay," replied Twilight. Fluttershy sat up next to Twilight, turned to her, and began.

"About six months ago, remember when I was got in the Everfree Forest on some 'business'?" asked Fluttershy. Twilight simply nodded.

"The...'business'...was a rabid Dire Wolf running amok in the Forest. Usually, I let nature take its course outside of the immediate vicinity of my cottage. When I first started, and was more naïve, I tried to prevent the gory cycle of killing and being killed, but what is one little pony against Nature? The Everfree Forest is not like most of Equestia, you know, ruled and kept in order by the Princesses. The Old Gods, such as The Piper, control places like the Forest. However, Dire Wolves are not a natural part of the Forest, especially not rabid ones. Everyday, my little animal friends would run to my cottage to escape it. Soon my cottage resembled a refugee camp. The natural balance of the Forest had been disrupted. I had to help my animal friends...and restore the balance. I know not why the Old Gods did not intervene...perhaps my involvement was a mechanisation of Theirs...anyway, a secret I have not told Ponyville...growing up, I won many awards for rifle marksmanship...I know you are surprised...goes against my meek image...well, I had never killed anything before...it was more a bonding activity with my father. He was a sniper in the First Equestia War, and he still enjoyed shooting targets with his old Maushaw. Well, I prepared to deal with the wolf..."

"Um, couldn't you have just used the stare?" asked Twilight? "I mean, a Dire Wolf is pretty bad, but you out-stared a cockatrice, for Celestria's shake."

Fluttershy took a deep breath. "The...stare...only works on creatures acting with full mental faculties...I know it sounds strange to someone who does not understand...the stare breaks the will of a creature with enough sense to be afraid of it...even something primitive like a manticore. Hydrophobia, however, rids an infected creature of its own will power...it becomes almost like one of those 'zombies' from Spike's comic books...so the stare has no mental will to work against. The creature is pure furry. As I am sure you know, hydrophobia has no cure. Not only was this wolf a danger to my animal friends, but if it had gotten into Ponyville...even the smallest bite would mean an agonising death for whoever was bitten. After a week of pursuit, including almost being killed by the beast, I shot it through the eye...you might have heard about that stuff Dire Wolf the Cantelot Natural History Museum?"

"That was you?" asked Twilight in surprise. Fluttershy nodded. "That took a lot of courage, but I don't understand what Dire Wolf hunts have to do with this."

"The wolf was a danger to my animal friends and to Ponyville. There was no reforming the wolf, and even a trap would have been cruel. Hydrophobia is a painful way to die. If this was Applejack...we could build walls thick enough she couldn't kick out of...or Rarity, some chains could restrain her. And both are sane enough, reformation would be a possibility. This Pinkie clone...do you believe it can be reformed?" Fluttershy did not ask a rhetorical question; she was interesting in the possibility of reforming this clone.

Twilight took a deep breath, and released it. "No...there is something wrong with its DNA...its nature," she added, remembering from Fluttershy's confused look she did not follow up on the latest biological journals.

"This clone is obliviously sick...I know this is so mean...usually I am not a death penalty advocate...it is just so mean...but this clone has the same powers as Pinkie?" Fluttershy asked. Twilight nodded.

"I do not believe ponies can build a prison that could hold Pinkie...she regularly breaks the laws of physics...and then she would be out killing ponies again. I know it is so mean, but there is a saying..."cruel to be nice"...we would like to take the moral high-ground...but remember the Jester from Batpony? How no matter how many times Batpony brought him to Arkfoal, he would escape again...kill again. In a comic it makes sense not to kill off such an intriguing villain...but in real life, when real lives are at stake...oh, I do sound to cruel and mean..." trailed off Fluttershy.

"No, no. I know what you are saying, and hearing it from you makes me more sure of it. I have to get off my...my high horse...and do what is best for Ponyville," said Twilight. "I didn't know you were such a pragmatist, Fluttershy."

"Well, I don't express myself much," responded Fluttershy.

"Well, your body certainly expressed itself to me last night," blushed Twilight, taking Fluttershy's face in her hooves and kissing her deeply. When Twilight released Fluttershy from the kiss, Fluttershy smiled.

"I certainly hope our pillow talk is more pleasant next time," she said.

"Oh, wait. When all this is over, I am going to ravage you, my pretty," said Twilight. Fluttershy laughed and said

"Will you send your flying monkeys after me?"

"No, my pretty. I'll gobble you up," teased Twilight. The two laughed. Twilight wished she could have just stayed with Fluttershy all day. But her duties as Princess called, so she washed up and left Fluttershy's cottage, heading towards Ponyville. So caught up in her thoughts, Twilight did not notice the large hole she fell into.

"Ouch! Did I just fall into Wonderland or something?" she complained. A small face emerged into her field of vision.

"Oh! Twilight! We're so sorry," said Applebloom. She was soon joined by Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.

"So...let me guess...this is your hole to China?" Twilight said in a frustrated tone. The three fillies simply nodded.

"Ugh! At least mark it off, or something. Somepony could get hurt," Twilight cried. The three fillies nodded, and began to take Twilight's suggestion. Twilight flew out of the hole and continued on her way to Ponyville.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

On her way back to Ponyville, Twilight thought about what she would say during the press conference. She would rather not deal with the press, but if she did not, wild rumours would circulate even more than they had been, and the apprehension that gripped Ponyville would last longer. Of course, Twilight had to be judicious with the truth of the whole matter. For one, the Cakes business and livelihood was at stake. Although the investigation showed they had no knowledge of what Pinkie had been doing in the basement, if the identity of some of the "ingredients" of the cupcakes became common knowledge, nopony could eat a cupcake ever again, much less patronise Sugar Cube Corner. Twilight would just leave that detail out. Secondly, Twilight had to stress the real Pinkie's innocence. She owed her friend that much.

_Ok, need to tell Ponyville the killer was not the real Pinkie, but one of the clones from the Mirror Pool. Easy enough. _

Twilight smiled to herself as she trotted along, but frowned again a moment later.

_They'll ask where the real Pinkie is...I killed her...that does _not _sound good...I am their Princess...they need to trust me and my decisions...can't say 'yeah, I totally killed one of my best friends and kept a psycho clone in her place._

Twilight's trot came to a slow pacing as she thought about what to say concerning Pinkie.

_Well...I already have the perfect scapegoat...that clone Pinkie...she's going to be gone anyway...and in books, doesn't the clone always want to eliminate the original and take over their life? I really shouldn't like...but it is necessary...and a really good answer. No extra ponies are involved...it is _very_ probable...as far as remains go, we can just ship some random organs and flesh to the rock farm for a funeral...her cutie mark? 'Why wasn't her cutie mark on that dress', some tinfoil hatter would ask...the clone wanted to totally destroy Pinkie, even something secret like that dress...some mental thing...yeah._

Satisfied with herself, Twilight added to herself

_Pinkie was the cause of this whole mess to begin with, so it really is her fault, not mine...and since the clone is her, I can extract punishment..._

In the early morning, Ponyville was mostly quiet. The market stalls were beginning to be open, but besides some of the morning weather team, no pony was really out. Twilight thought about the peace while watching Derpy Hooves land and get an apple from Big Mac. Since Rainbow Dash was gone, more pegesi had to help with the weather...both due to lack of Dash's speed, but also her skill at planning and organizing the weather team. Derpy had taken an early morning shift clearing clouds, just before her delivery route began. Seeing Derpy getting off her night weather shift made Twilight think of Rainbow Dash...

_Oh, Rainbow Dash...why did it have to be you...you were not only a great friend...this town depended on you so much...Sweet Apple Acres depended on you...Applejack's heart depended on you..._

At the thought of Applejack, Twilight trotted up to Big Mac.

"Howdy Twilight. Care for an apple?" emoted Big Mac in his slow drawl.

"Not really hungry...I was wanted to ask how Applejack is," replied Twilight.

Big Mac frowned. "Not too good...she's been awfully sad since...well...you know...but I think some time and closure to this mess will bring her back to her old self."

"Yeah," Twilight replied. Applejack was strong, not only physically, but emotionally as well, with the death of her parents at a young age, having to manage an apple orchard, and watch after a little sister, Applejack had to be strong emotionally. But Rainbow Dash had a very special place in Applejack's heart...and the space of her absence would leave a wound that would take a very long time to heal.

Twilight bid Big Mac farewell and walked to her house.

"Hi Twilight! Have a good night?" Spike greeted Twilight.

"Oh, yeah yeah. Just had a lot of business to take car of," replied Twilight. She was not quite ready to out Fluttershy. Of course she and Fluttershy were friends, so a visit was not suspicious...but frequent overnight stays would get the town gossip mill's attention. For her part, Twilight did not care if the whole of Equestria knew about her and Fluttershy. She was an alicorn, after all, and Fluttershy was one of the best catches anypony, mare or stallion, could make. But she knew Fluttershy was extremely shy as it was, without all of the gossip and teasing coming out would bring.

"Have you set up the press conference?" asked Twilight.

"Yes. It'll be in a few hours. Are you ready?" answered Spike.

"Yeah, I'm ready," replied Twilight.

A few hours later, Ponyville was gathered around the town square to listen to Twilight report about the investigation and answer the questions going through everypony's head about the crime. Jounalists from as far as Fillydelphilia, Appleoosa, and Canterlot were in the crowd. In the suit Rarity had given her, Twilight stepped to the microphone and begun.

"Citizens of Ponyville. As you know, early yesterday morning a terrible crime was interrupted by me personally in the basement of Sugar Cube Corner. As of now, the remains at least twelve ponies, a griffon, and a rabbit have been recovered from the basement. Forensic hippologists are identifying the remains, cross-referencing missing person cases. As of now, the only identified victims are Rainbow Dash and Pikamena Diane Pie. The culprit of these crimes has been apprehended, and has signed a full confession."

"When is a trial date set?" came a question from the crowd.

"The legal status of the culprit does not make a trial necessary. The culprit is a clone of Pikamena Pie's, from the Mirror Pool incident," answered Twilight. The crowd muttered in remembrance of that event. "One of her first victims was the real Pinkie," Twilight added. At this, Twilight looked out at the crowd and saw Applejack, with one eyebrow raised, the other lowered, and her mouth in a frown. Even without hearing the truth a night before, the Element of Honesty knew a lie when she heard it. Besides here was Rarity, frowning. Fluttershy's expression was less angry and more curious, her eyes asking Twilight "Are you sure this is a good idea?".

"And this...uh...clone...what will happen to it?" asked another journalist.

"For crimes against Equestria and her people, including murder, torture, and ponyknaping, I as Princess sentence that being to death via electrocution," answered Twilight. She felt a knotting in her stomach...having the power to end a life, just like that. Twilight had thought of the means of execution...hanging was the traditional method. Twilight remembered a public hanging she had seen as a filly...in the hands of an unskilled hangpony...the results could be gruesome. Firing squad was usually reserved for military ponies...guillotine was too French for her taste...Electricity was a newly harnessed power for a modern age...appropriate for Twilight's modern reign. Luckily for Twilight, the Ponyville prison had recently added an electric chair, and it had even been tested on a transient pony who had raped and murdered a pregnant mare.

With that, Twilight finished the conference. The town seemed satisfied. Well, almost everypony.

"Truth really is the first causality," Applejack accused as she approached.

"Applejack," began Twilight. "It was a lie of necessity...these ponies are my subjects...and they need to trust their princess."

"Then earn dat trust. By lying like dat, ya come down from an alicorn princess to some common donkey politician," spat Applejack. Twilight looked down at this.

"Well, as long as Pinkie's memory is preserved," said Rarity.

"Oh...this whole thing is just terrible," said Fluttershy. Twilight looked into Fluttershy's eyes, asking her for advice. Fluttershy's eyes simply answered back "I don't know."

Twilight turned away from her three friends, saying as she left "the execution is at midnight tonight".

A short while later, Twilight was being lead to the maximum security section of Ponyville prison by two heavily armed guards. When they arrived at the desired cell, a small window on the door was opened to allow for communication. Through the one-way mirror, Twilight could see the Pinie clone. She still had the same upbeat, happy air around her. This disturbed Twilight. Shaking off the chill down her spine, Twilight spoke into the microphone

"Mirror Pool clone of Pikamena Diane Pie, in accordance with the power invested in me as a princess of Equestria, I sentence you to be electrocuted to death. Due to your legal status as a clone, an appeal is not an option. Your sentence shall be carried out tonight at midnight. You may request a last meal."

The clone just starred into the door, big smile on face. Despite knowing the mirror was one-way, Twilight could feel the huge blue eyes burning into her soul. After an uncomfortably long time, the clone responded

"Cupcakes."

"Not any made with your 'special ingredient'," cried Twilight.

"Oh...I imagined as much...just some lemon cupcakes with pink icing and hot sauce will be fine," replied the clone with the same cherry tone. Twilight moved away from the microphone and said to a nearby guard

"Place an order to Sugar Cube Corner for three dozen lemon cupcakes with pink icing, and a bottle of hot sauce." The guard nodded and went off to fill the request. A short while after the guard left, another guard was escorting Rarity down the hall.

"Hi Rarity. What are you doing here," asked Twilight. Rarity wore a black dress and hat, and her eyes were downturned.

"Final visit...with Pinkie," she answered.

"You know that thing isn't the real-" began Twilight.

"Yes! Yes I know it's a damn clone. But I loved that Celstia damn clone...we bucked...bucked hard. Shared each other's deepest secrets..." cried Rarity.

"Really? How about the secret about butchering ponies?" yelled Twilight.

"Just let me be, Twilight!" spat Rarity, pushing past Twilight to the front of Pinkie's cell. Twilight went down the hall to give the two some privacy.

Rarity neared the microphone.

"Pinkie?" Rarity said in an unsure voice. The clone again turned to the door and said

"Yeah Rarity?" her tone was as if this was a normal social call.

"Pinkie...my love. The whole town may hate you...but I still love you, despite all this," said Rarity, verging on tears. Pinkie looked less chipper, but still smiling, said

"I really love you too, Rarity. That was one of the attributes I got from her."

"Yes...I really could not tell the difference...oh...I don't know what I shall do without you," Rarity ended with tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

"You're a strong pony...and time heals all wounds...well, except maybe the ones I did in the basement...doubt Rainbow Dash will be flying again anytime soon...but, ya know...plenty of fish in the sea...you'll find another pony...maybe even a pink one that parties..and you'll grab hold of that pony and never let go...I just wish I could be that pony," said Pinkie.

"Pinkie...why? Why did you do these things?" Rarity said between sobs.

"Just how I came out of the mirror...really couldn't help it," replied Pinkie, as if she was answering why she liked strawberry cupcakes over lime cupcakes.

"Could...could we...fix you?...I know a lot good therapists...Twilight is really deep down a forgiving pony...we could move far, far away from here...somewhere nopony would know us...start over," pleaded Rarity.

"Nope," said Pinkie. "I just wanna make cupcakes from ponies."

"What...what was that...dear?" asked Rarity.

"You know...I have the urge to make cupcakes...and pony blood makes the best cupcakes," answered Pinkie, as if this matter was the clearest thing in the world.

"You...made...cupcakes...from...ponies?" asked Rarity slowly.

"Yep siree!" said Pinkie. At this, Rarity gagged, trying to hold in the bile. A second out, she lost out to her gag reflex, and bile spilled from her mouth. Running, tears mixing with bile on her face, Rarity left the hall way. A short time later, Mr. Cake came, carrying a platter of cupcakes, escorted by a guard.

"Eh, never knew Rarity didn't like cupcakes so much...luckily, none of the vomit landed on the cupcakes," said Mr. Cake. The guard just shrugged. When they got to Pinkie's cell, the guard pushed the tray through a small one-way pet door into Pinkie's cell. Pinkie greedily started eating the cupcakes. With a mouthfull of cupcake, she smiled at the door and said

"Thank you, Mr. Cupcake." A tear fell from Mr. Cupcake's cheek. The clone had acted just like the real Pinkie...like a daughter. Turning before he could allow himself to become too emotional, he was escorted out. Pinkie continued to savour the cupcakes.

The sun eventually went down and the moon up. The hands on the clock eventually neared twelve. Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy were in a room with a one-way mirror looking into the execution chamber. Ponies made preparations with the machine. A priest got read to read the last rites. Eventually, Pinkie, with a shaved head, was walked to the chair, and strapped in. a sponge was applied atop her head, and the headset fastened down. The priest pony began.

"O Holy Hosts Above, I call upon Thee to sanctify our actions this day in preparation for the fulfillment of the will of Celestia."

Pinkie, although not able to see her friends behind the glass, moved her eyes across each one.

"O Lord Celestia, most merciful, Lord of the Sun we ask that you receive this child into your arms, that she might pass in safety from this crisis."

Applejack just starred ahead with a determined, focus look on her face.

"We will now accept this pony's confession," said the priest.

Pinkie looked around. "I have murdered twenty ponies, including my friend Rainbow Dash, a griffon, and Fluttershy's bunny. After much torture, I cut them up and made them into cupcakes. I also didn't push the toothpaste tube from the bottom."

With a puzzled look, the priest continued.

"By this sign thou art anointed by the grace of the atonement of Luna and thou art absolved of all past error and free to take your place in the world she prepared for us."

Tears were dripping from Rarity's cheeks.

"And thus do I commend thee into the arms of our Lord of Sun, Preserver of all mercy and reality, and the Lord of the Moon."

Fluttershy held her arms tightly around Twilight, burying her eyes deeply into Twilight shoulder, and not at the execution chamber.

"We give her as we give you into Her arms in everlasting peace, to be prepared to return into the denser reality of Celestia the Lord of the Sun. Amen. Amen. Amen." And with that, a pony flipped the switch.

Immediately, the scene was not Twilight had planned. Pinkie's body shook violently for a second, and sparks flew out of the helmet. About a minute later, Pinkie's head erupted in flames. Pinkie's screams filled the room. Rarity stood gasping. Fluttershy was crying all over Twilight's shoulder. Twilight was at a lost. Applejack's mouth turned into the smallest smile.

"Stop it! Stop the execution! Flip the switch off!" cried Twilight. The confused pony flipped off the switch. Pinkie's head was still engulfed in flame, her screams already reaching a peak, and then slowly dying down. One of the more level-headed guards grabbed a fire extinguisher and sprayed while powder all over Pinkie. Eventually the flames died, leaving into a black pony shaped mass in the chair. A doctor quickly checked her vital signs.

"This pony is dead," he declared. Twilight looked around the room.

"That the buck happened?" she starred at each guard. When her gaze met the youngest guard, he collapsed, crying.

"I didn't wet the sponge," he admitted.

"Why the buck not?" Twilight shouted. The pony hesitated.

"Answer me! I am your Princess," snapped Twilight.

"I...I got paid twenty bits...by that orange pony there...I didn't know all _that_ would happen...I never would have don it," sobbed the guard.

"You are suspended pending an investigation," said Twilight, turning to Applejack, about to release her furry. She was beaten to the punch by Rarity.

"What! The! Buck! Is Wrong! With You!" Rarity shouted.

"What...after what dat monster did to Dashie...this was the least Ah could do," answer Applejack smugly.

"She was being EXCUTED, you really needed to make her suffer?" accused Rarity. Fluttershy sunk as the yelling got louder.

"Yep," answered Applejack.

"You know, I love that pony," said Rarity.

"And Ah loved Rainbow Dash. She wasn't a monster," Applejack snapped back.

"Monster...you're are just the same, a monster who tortures ponies other ponies care about deeply! I...I..." Rarity lost it. She rushed Applejack, hooves swinging. Applejack turned around, and bucked with her back legs. She had been aiming for Rarity's chest, but as Rarity lowered her head approaching Applejack, the full force of the kick was transferred into Rarity's skull. With a sickening rip, the top talk of Rarity's skull flew off, leaving a flapping tongue a top the remaining lower jaw. The top-half of Rarity's head landed on Fluttershy, who squealed and ran into a corner to curl up. Applejack's face was pure horror at the scene. She was already out the door before anypony could respond.

"Hey, capture her!" cried Twilight. A pair of guards raced out the doors, but soon came back.

"Applejack has left the building," replied one.

"Damn," Twilight said. "For search parties, I want her brought in a once."


	9. Chapter 9

**AUTHOR NOTE**: Wow. I am amazed at the over 300 views this story has generated in such a short amount of time. Thank you all. I am so glad you are enjoying this story. We are about half way through, with another heavy chapter. Warning, _a lot_ of character death in this chapter, and this chapter will probably be the most grim dark in this story.

Chapter 9

Search parties fanned over Ponyville in search of Applejack. A heavy rain and the moonless night made the use of lanterns and light spells required. Even then, nopony could see further than a few feet in front of herself. The sporadic thunder and lightning made the search parties jumpy and apprehensive.

Many of the police ponies had been sent to Sweet Apple Acres. While a clever criminal would know to avoid running to somewhere so oblivious, Twilight knew Applejack was no mastermind, and the familiarity and security of the orchard would make her home the first place Applejack would flee to. Police ponies walked between the many trees of the orchard. The added shade of the trees, blocking out the sky completely, made the scene especially dark.

It was in this velvet darkness Constable Mullins found himself stumbling over rocks and roots. A flash of lightening briefly illuminated the landscape, outlining another pony about ten feet from him.

"Halt! Halt in the name of the law! Identify yourself!" cried Constable Mullins. Whatever sound the other pony made was taken away by the wind. Frightened, Constable took his revolver and fired a couple of shots in the direction of where the figure had been. Despite the poor visibility, a loud cry confirmed at least one of the shots had hit its target. Constable Mullins ran over to the figure. The sound of other ponies rushing the the sounds of gunfire could also be heard. Once the figure was visible in his lantern, Constable Mullins regretted his rashness.

"Pegasus feathers! Victor, I'm so sorry," said Constable Mullins to Constable Konik. Constable Konik clutched his shoulder, using a handkerchief to apply pressure to the wound on his shoulder.

"Mullins! You ass!" cried Constable Konik in pain and anger. He glanced to his side and said to a nearby donkey "No offense."

"None taken," replied the donkey.

"What's happening?" asked Twilight as she and Fluttershy approached.

"Officer down...friendly fire," answered a police pony. Turning to another pony, she added "go to to town and get medic ponies where ." The other pony nodded and ran towards town.

"Why you just standing there anyway?" Constable Mullins asked Constable Konik. With an annoyed look on his face, Constable Konik pointed behind the assembled ponies. Turning, Twilight's heart dropped.

"Oh Celestia...no."

Hanging from the tree was the body of Applejack. Her neck was stretched. The blue, hatless head was at a strange angle compared to the rest of her body. A pony went up to the body and felt for a pulse.

"No pulse...and she is very cold...she's been gone a while," the pony reported. Below the hanging body was Applejack's hat and a scribbled note. The pony picked up the note and handed it to Twilight. Twilight opened the note and read the scribbled handwriting.

To everypony, I am very sorry. I just cannot deal with all this. The luv of my lif is ded. And I've gone and killed Rarity...I ain't no krimminal, and I cannot liv as one. Please tell Big Mac, Granny Smith, and Apple Bloom I luv thim.

Applejack Smith

Twilight read the note several times. She wished she had gotten to Applejack before she...explain to her second degree murder wasn't a capital offense...hay, with a good lawyer, and Twilight's testimony of her stressed emotional state, there was a good chance of the charging being lowered to ponyslaughter...Twilight thought this, but deep down she knew it was not fear of punishment that had lead Applejack to put that noose around her neck. Applejack was just to loyal to her friends to live with one of their blood on her hooves.

Twilight's train of thought was interrupted. Despite the high wind, she would hear a high pitched voice.

"Hey Applejack. We didn't make it to China, but we did find this cool rock. Wanna-" Twilight heard the voice.

"Apple Bloom, don't-" Twilight began, but it was too late. Apple Bloom stopped in her tracks, looking up at her sister.

"Applejack!" tears fell down Apple Bloom's eyes. "Applejack...why?" Apple Bloom's voice creaked as she fell down sobbing.

"Horse apples...she's too young to see this sort of thing...will someone please take her to her house?" asked Twilight. One of the police ponies picked the weeping Apple Bloom up and made his way to the farm house.

"Could this night get any worse?" wondered Twilight. Almost as if on cue, a flash of lightening fell from the sky, hitting Fluttershy in an explosion of light.

"Fluttershy!" cried Twilight as she ran to her lover. The smell of cook meat filled the air as Twilight crouched by Fluttershy, taking her in her arms. Fluttershy's entire body was singed.

"Twi...Twilight," Fluttershy muttered, slowly looking up at Twilight.

"Shh...shh...we'll get you help," cooled Twilight. Ponies were rushing to town to get help. Twilight briefly considered teleporting the two of them to the hospital, but since her teleporation burned any passengers, she knew this would only make matters worse.

"Twilight...I...love you," Fluttershy weakly said with much effort.

"I love you too, Fluttershy. Love you more than anything I have ever loved. We'll get you fixed up, and...and everything will be fine...just fine," replied Twilight, tears flowing down her face.

"Twilight...be brave," and with that, Fluttershy's eyes rolled back in her head, and her delicate body went limp in Twilight's arms.

"No! No! Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Come back! Comeback Fluttershy! Comeback!" Twilight held the body, a flood of tears beating out the heavy rain. Twilight did not hear the cross-eyed pegesus land by her.

"Hey...um...I kinda dropped a lightening bolt...is everything alright," asked Derpy Hooves. A second later, she saw Twilight clutching Fluttershy's body.

"Oh..um..sorry," she said. At this, Twilight flew around and back hooved Derpy, sending her wheeling.

"Sorry! SORRY! You damn retard!" Twilight punched Derpy in the nose, making a river of crimson erupt from Derpy's face. "Look at what you did. I SAID LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID!" Twilight pointed at Fluttershy's corpse.

"I'm sorry...I'm really sorry...it was an accident, I swear! I...I'm not use to his job...and," Derpy was crying as she held her bloody nose.

"You're a bucking, stupid, useless retard. You...you killed Fluttershy...you bucking 'tard," Twilight cried. Her left eye twitched. This night had just been too much. Twilight turned and addressed everypony.

"I, with the power invested in me as a Princess of Equestria, exercise _exequor judicium_."

A few of the more educated police ponies gasped. _Exequor judicium_ was a royal power allowing for the execution of a citizen of Equestria without formal legal proceedings. This power was very rarely used outside of times of war. In fact, centuries had passed since the degree had been used. Circumstances outside of wartime did not necessitate such a grave action without due legal process.

"What...what is that?" asked Derpy. Twilight smiled.

"Oh...you dumb bitch...this means you are to be killed on the spot of land you now stand on," Twilight emoted smugly.

Derpy's eyes widened in horror.

"What? I'm sorry..._sob_...I am so sorry...I didn't mean to..._sob_...to hurt any pony," cried Derpy.

"Constable Mullins, since you seem so trigger happy, why don't you carry out _exequor judicium_?" asked Twilight. Constable Mullins shook his head.

"Princess, with all due respect, I do not think abusing that decree is inappropriate," counted Constable Mullins.

"I am a Princess, you must carry out my will, or I will have you locked up for insubordination! Kinda hard to feed five fillies from prison," responded Twilight. Constable Mullins shook his head, aiming his revolver at Derpy.

"No! No! I'm sorry! I'm sorry. What about my Dinky? Who will take care of her," Derpy cried. She fell, both arms over her face. Her full bladder released itself, the steam coming off the cold air.

"Princess...she's a special needs pony...and she just pissed herself, for Celestia's shake," said Constable Mullins.

"DO IT!" shouted Twilight, leaving no room for argument.

"Celestia damn you," Constable Mullins said as he took aim at Derpy again, turning his head before squeezing the trigger.

The shot rang out, and Derpy's body collapsed, releasing the feces in her colon. Constable Mullins sat in a heap, eyes full of hate at Twilight.

For her part, Twilight did not get the satisfaction she thought she would...seeing Derpy Hooves...Derpy! ...dead in a pool of her own shit, piss, and blood...something was wrong...the whole world was wrong...Rainbow Dash...Pinkie Pie...Applejack...Fluttershy...now Derpy...by her orders! She knew she had crossed the line from monarch to tyrant. The feeling of no longer being "the good pony" fell deeply in her heart. Knowing what she had to do, she suddenly teleported, leaving the crowd behind.

Reappearing in the middle of her library home, Twilight collapsed crying.

"What's wrong, Twilight?" her dragon servant Spike asked.

"Oh Spike...everything is wrong," answered Twilight, taking the baby dragon in her arms, hugging him. Dragons were usually enemies of ponies...while Twilight had trained Spike well...what would be do without her guidance? Would be become just another mindless dragon, eating ponies and hoarding gems? She could not allow that threat to Equestria.

"Twilight, everything will be okay," comforted Spike.

"I love you, Spike," said Twilight into his shoulder.

"I love you too, Twilight," returned Spike. With a sudden motion, Twilight took both hooves around Spike's head and twisted. A sickening _crunch_ told her she had done the deed. Barely about to look, she said Spike's head at an odd angle. His eyes were wide in surprise, almost as if asking "why". Twilight took his body and tucked it into his bed on the floor.

Twilight sighed. She knew what she had to do. Going through her potions cabinet, she found the bright organge flask with the skull and crossbones. She stared at the bottle for a minute, then uncorked the squeaking stopper. Raising the flask to her lips, she mused to herself

_Wonder if we'll be together again?_

Just before she took the first sip, a knock came at her door.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Twilight capped the bright orange flask as the second knock came. Opening the door, she was surprised to see her visitor.

"Good evening Your Majesty," greeted detective Hooves. "I beg your pardon for disturbing you at this late hour."

"Um...yeah...no problem at all...what bring you here?" asked Twilight.

"Special instructions from Princess Celestia. May I come in? These are for everypony's ears," answered Hooves.

"Of...of course," replied Twilight, opening the door wider and motioning Hooves in. Removing his hat, he turned to Twilight and said

"Princess Twilight, this last twenty-four hours have seen all but one of the wielders of Elements of Harmony killed. This, of course, is of great interest to Princess Celestia,"

"Of...of course," said Twilight.

"Is everything alright, Your Highness?" asked Hooves.

"Um...yeah...yeah...just, you know...loosing all my friends so...so suddenly," replied Twilight.

"Yes...Princess Celestia may have a solution to that," said Hooves.

"I was just about to perform my own solution," Twilight said under her breath. If Hooves heard or simply chose to ignore this comment, he continued.

"Deep in the Everfree Forest are the ruins of an old enemy secret research laboratory from the First Equestria War. Based on some intelligence, the base was experimenting on a means of time travel...a time machine, if you will. At least one grey hare went through time using the machine, if reports are to be believed-" said Hooves.

Twilight just sighed. "Why the buck doesn't Celestia just tell me these things upfront...or hay, just use her supreme powers to get this horse apple herself...or just tell me something before I...I go crazy?" Twilight's head fell. "I guess there is a reason some ponies call her 'trollestia'."

Hooves stared at her for a moment, then said "With all due respect, Princess, I believe we should put our full truest in Celestia." Twilight looked up at him with an incredulous look.

"Our Lord of the Sun has been leading pony kind for a thousand years...her ways may be mysterious to us, but that is because her comprehension is far beyond ours...it is like a foal asking her parents about quantum mechanics. In any case, this is really our only chance to set right what is now wrong," said Hooves. Something about Hooves conviction...almost a naȉve trust, softened Twilight's heart.

"Ok...I'll give this a shot...anything to bring my friends from this nightmare...so...how do we get to this time machine?" Twilight asked.

"Very deep in the Everfree Forest. Much deeper than I'd like to go, but there is no other way. We are going to take a hot air balloon to the base, and then search for the machine. We will be accompanied by an expect archaeological raider who will assist us. No telling what sort of dangers are waiting for us there. I will be ready when you are, Princess," answered Hooves.

"I'm ready now. Let's go!" said Twilight. And with that, the two exited Twilight's house.

Running to the edge of Ponyville, they saw the hot air balloon and the their guide.

"Oh...it's you," said Hooves to the other pony. She was a younger pegesus with an athletic build, wearing a sleeveless tan shirt and gray cargo pants. She had two gun holsters at her flanks.

"Sherry! Long time, no see," replied the other pony.

"You two know each other?" asked Twilight.

"Yeah...we use to date," replied the other pony. "My name is Lorena Coult, archaeological raider extraordinaire."

"Don't we already have Daring Do?" asked Twilight.

"Well...yeah...but this author has less copyrights to write around...and this is a rather clever pony pun, don't you think?" said Lorena.

"Um...yeah," replied Twilight, not entirely understanding Lorena's answer.

"He ha, they're fake, you know," Hooves poked Twilight, the over hoof pointing at Lorena's chest.

"Ugg," moaned Lorena. "Princess Celestia asked me personally to come on this quest. Otherwise, I would never work with you ever again...not since what happened in the Griffon Kingdom."

"Oi! We would have left with that statue just fine if you hadn't shot that one griffon," countered Hooves.

"Ugg. He was wearing a Palladium Back shirt. What was I suppose to do with such bad taste in music?" said Lorena.

"Yeah...and that bottle of Merlot had nothing to do with your judgment?" asked Hooves.

"Hey, I can stop anytime. Besides, you would make Saint Peter drink," counter Lorena.

"Enough arguing!" shouted Twilight. "Let's just go."

And with that, they all entered the hot air balloon and took off.

The next couple of hours were mostly uneventful. Hooves just read over yesterday's _Equestria Times_, commenting every so often "Oh, my stocks," "Why would they take out that yield sign?" "Better bundle up next week" "You tell 'em, Mallard Fillmore". Lorena just kept rechecking her guns. This lack of interaction left Twilight with her own thoughts.

_I hope this works...I just can't go on with this...am I a monster...because of Derpy...no...no...you are pony...you had been pushed to the limit, and Derpy just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time...Fluttershy...oh Fluttershy...the rest...Rarity, Applejack...even me killing the real Pinkie...I could handle that with you by my side...but now you're gone. I promise you, Fluttershy...I will be with you again soon..._

Twilight's introspection as interrupted by a sharp _bang_, followed by the hot air balloon being shakened.

"What the hay is happening?" asked Twilight.

"Appears like we're being flaked..." answered Hooved. Indeed, Twilight noted, there were puffs of smoke all around the balloon that reminded her of old war movies. They suddenly fell as the balloon deflated.

"Oh horse apples!" cried Twilight as they fell.

"Um...we can fly, remember?" commented Lorena.

"I can't!" cried Hooves.

"We'll just carry you," said Twilight. Lorena looked skeptical for a moment, before replying "fine".

The pegesus and the alicorn got the earth pony off the balloon just before the air craft crashed into the dense jungle below. Lowering into a clearing, they landed with a _thud_.

"Seems you've put on some weight," said Lorena.

"Oh, shut up...I don't have silicone to keep me buoyant," countered Hooves. As they got up, they look around. Dark jungle surrounded the clearing, with nothing by the _chirps_ and _bumps _of the jungle.

"Well...what now?" asked Twilight.

Lorena pulled out a map and a torch.

"Well, according to the map, we are about three miles from the base," answered Lorena.

"Shouldn't take us too long," said Hooves.

"In this jungle? It will probably take awhile," said Lorena. Already, the sun was beginning to raise.

"However long it takes, we will get there," said Twilight, determined. And with that, the three ponies went into the jungle.


	11. Chapter 11

**AUTHOR NOTE:** Over 400 views! Thank you all so much! There is going to be a bit of a shift in tone/genre with more action/adventure elements. I figured readers could use a breather after those last couple of chapters. The Everfree Forest is described as a forest, despite being a "forest", because I imagine the hot air balloon traveled quite a bit, to a more tropical part of the forest. I know this probably is not cannon, but the tropical environment fits in better with the "abandoned ruin of doom" setting of this part of the story.

Chapter 11

As they trudged through the dense vegetation, various sounds surrounded the three ponies. Some, like croaks and tweets, did not bother any of the ponies very much. Others, such the rustling of leaves and bushes, made the ponies apprehensive, as the origin of sounds took on the most fantastic and creepy forms in their imaginations. Lorena lead the group, clearing the path with her machete. Behind her was Twilight, and protecting the rear flank was Hooves. Despite the dawn, the jungle was still mostly concealed in shadows, so Twilight's horn glowed a light spell to help light the way. Eventually, a figure that wasn't a bush or tree came into the radius of Twilight's light spell.

The figure was about the size of a filly, but with a tribal appearance with a bone through the nose, tattoos all over the body, and a spear in hand. Twilight and Hooves were puzzled at the figure. Lorena's reaction was more proactive.

"Pygmy! Defend yourselves!" cried Lorena as she upholstered her pair of pistols and fired several shots into the figure, making it fall over in a mist of blood.

"Excitable, aren't we?" commented Hooves.

"That was a pygmy," countered Lorena.

"A pygmy?" asked Twilight. "I've read about them, but thought there were just myths."

"No...they are real, just so isolated most ponies will never see one," answered Lorena.

"Are...they dangerous?" asked Hooves.

"Very. They are all chaotic evil. Where there's one, there are more," said Lorena. As she finished, another pygmy appeared from the undergrowth, which Lorena promptly mowed down in a hail of bullets. While she inserted new magazines into her pistols, Hooves drew his revolver from his coat, and Twilight's horn lit up in preparation for defensive spells. The bushes became alive with movement.

"Kill 'em all!" cried Lorena, firing into the bushes. Twilight and Hooves followed her example. Cries and moans of pain confirmed the bullets made their mark. Twilight saw a pygmy coming behind Hooves, and fired a fire ball at it. The top half of the pygmy exploded, leaving the legs to bend and fall. After two minutes of solid firing, the three ponies ceased fire. Investigating the surrounding bushes, the bullet ridden and burnt bodies of twenty pygmies covered the ground.

"Think that is all of them?" asked Twilight.

"For now. Though their villages can number in the hundreds," answered Lorena.

They continued until they were in front of a river.

"The base is across that river," said Lorena. The rapids of the river made crossing it not at all straightforward.

"Perhaps there's a bridge or something further down," said Hooves.

"Indeed there is."

The three ponies turned around to see a grey earth pony wearing a black hat with a book cutie mark.

"I'm Daniel. You three must be the ones Princess Celestia are sending to that old military base," the new pony introduced.

"What is it to you?" asked Lorena.

"I'm a missionary to the natives here. A message from Princess Celestia told me you three would be coming, and asked me to assist you all. I sent a group of the natives to meet you to guide you to the village, have you met them," explained Daniel.

"What sort of natives are they?" asked Hooves.

"Pygmies. When I first got here, they sure were a wild bunch, but now there are the most civilised and kindest tribe you'll see in the Everfree Forest," answered Daniel. Twilight's heart sunk some.

"Um...Daniel," Twilight began, before being interrupted by Hooves.

"We did, in fact, meet a group of pygmies. Unfortunately..." Lorena looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"...a rather large panther came by can killed them all."

Hooves was not sure if Daniel had brought the lie, until

"Gosh darn panthers...that's twenty-eight this month. Really should get some hunters in here to thin their ranks...but usually twenty warriors are enough to drive a panther off."

"Well, this panther was rather large...huge, in fact...largest panther I've ever seen," replied Lorena, who nudged Twilight with an elbow.

"Oh..um...yeah! Huge panther! At least thrice as large as any I've seen in a zoo!" Twilight over acted. More cynical ponies would have seen through her charade, but Daniel, the naive idealist he was, said

"Oh dear! Let's get back to the safety of the village before it comes back. You can eat and rest before continuing your quest," said Daniel.

So the four walked by the river, Daniel leading. Hooves and Lorena stayed a few steps behind in the back.

"I thought you said pygmies are _always_ chaotic evil," Hooves hissed into Lorena's ear.

"Well, they _almost_ always are chaotic evil, and you know me, better safe than sorry," whispered Lorena.

"Yeah, that's why we only used two of your orifices," said Hooves.

"Well, it worked, didn't it? No belly-full of Sherpony for me," countered Lorena.

"Almost there," said Daniel. Within minutes, there were at a small village by the water. A few huts on poles circles the main space, there several pygmies were carrying on their daily business: preparing food, making arrow points, weaving loin clothes, and other activities you usually see on National Geographic. At the sight of Daniel, several pygmies ran to greet Daniel an his guests. An older pygmy, wearing a head dress of feathers that reminded Twilight of the buffalo of Appleoosa, came forward and made some clicking noises. Daniel made some clicking noises in response, and turned back to the three ponies.

"This is Chief Wajinga. He kindly welcomes you to his villages and pledges his people's support," translated Daniel.

"Say...you all wouldn't know anything about flak guns around there, would you?" asked Hooves.

"We did hear an awful noise coming from the direction of the base last night, but as far I know, no flak towers have operated here since the war," said Daniel. At this, Chief Wajinga clicked.

"Chief Wajinga _reminds_ me of the _myths_ of his people about ghosts haunting the old base...his people are still _very_ primitive, and retain many of their superstitions...ah, looks like breakfast has arrived," replied Daniel. A pair of pygmies were carrying a dead wild boar hanging from a pole. Quickly the boar was being turned over a fire.

"Is...is the food here safe to eat?" asked Hooves. Twilight gave the same disgusted look at the dirty preparing the boar.

"Well...I've only been sick a few times," answered Daniel.

"I should be fine...had pig sauce before," said Lorena with a grin on her face.

"Pig sauce?" questioned Hooves, with an eyebrow raised.

"Your doctors and lawyers," chucked Lorena. Hooves just rolled his eyes. A minute later, a pygmy ran into the village, clicking wildly. This cause an stir amongst the rest of the pygmies, who quickly picked up their spears, bows, and blow guns.

"They're turning on us! Attack!" cried Lorena, drawing her pair of pistols.

"Wait!" Daniel tried to say, before Lorena began shooting up every pygmy in sight. Pygmy after pygmy fell in an explosion of blood, flesh, and bone. Soon the entire village was either dead or in the process of dying.

"What is wrong with you?" cried Daniel, making his voice as angry as he could. "He was warning us about an approaching panther!"

"Oh..." said Lorena. Just then, a panther, towering at least two ponies' heights, charged from the jungle. Lorena quickly mowed the beast down with her dual pistols.

"Talk about anticlimactic," said Twilight. Daniel just stood in shock, and then shouted

"What the diddy-do is wrong with you? You psycho! I am reporting you to the Pygmy Bureau."

"I don't think so," said Lorena. She shoved one of her pistols into Daniel's mouth, and pulled the trigger. Daniel's black hat flew upwards, along with blood and bone, as Daniel's body fell down.

"Um...none of this was necessary," commented Twilight, looking around at the carnage.

"Like I say, better safe than sorry," said Lorena, satisfied, blowing the smoke off her guns before twirling them and holstering them. She then started off in the direction of the base. Hooves and Twilight followed.

"This is why we broke up...she get's a bit crazy when she doesn't take her medicine," Hooves whispered to Twilight.

"Medicine for what?" asked Twilight.

"Paranoid schizophrenia and sociopath," answered Hooved. Twilight raised an eyebrow. Hooved then added, "Yes, the sex was crazy."

"I'm sure it was," replied Twilight deadpan, as they continued their way to the base. "How does she have so much ammo, anyway."


	12. Chapter 12

**AUTHOR NOTE**: Almost 500 views! Thank you all so much. I know this story is getting attention, but if there is something you would like to see more/less of, please leave a review. Please note that _Bugs Bunny Lost in Time_, and all characters within, are property of Warner Brothers, and that _My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic_ is property of Hasbro.

Chapter 12

"Hey, um...guys," said Twilight. Lorena and Hooves turned around.

"We could just...fly over the river?" continued Twilight. Lorena and Hooves looked at each other.

"Yeah...kinda forgot about that option," said Hooves, rubbing the back of his neck.

"This side road was pretty fun," quibbled Lorena.

"Massacring a tribe of pygmies isn't exactly my idea of 'fun'," countered Twilight.

"Oh, you milk drinker," Lorena laughed, motioning with her hoof. Twilight decided to let the matter rest for now. She certainly did not wish to become like Daniel after he threatened to report her to the authorities, and Lorena might be useful in the old base. Still, Twilight intended to, at the _very_ least, order Lorena committed in the Ponyville Asylum once they were back in Ponyville, thought she would have to plan this intervention carefully to avoid half of Ponyville being shot up.

"Let's just go," sighed Twilight, and with that, Lorena and Twilight grabbed Hooves by either side and carried him over the river. Landing on the other side, they saw a faith trail winding through the jungle.

"This must lead to the base," commented Hooves.

"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Lorena, galloping down the trail.

"Hey, wait up!" cried Twilight and Hooves, chasing after her. After five good minutes, they stopped at the end of the trail. Lorena did not seemed phases at all, while Twilight and Hooves painted heavily. Lorena just shook her head at the two.

"That's what happens when you eat too much junk food," Lorena said to Hooves. Turning to Twilight, she said "You need your head less in a book and more getting cardio." The two gave Lorena dirty looks before turning their attention to the clearing before them. They were outside an old, rusted cross-linked fence. Through the fence they could see pale figures moving around. Moving closer to the fence, the three ponies could see pale, transparent ponies dancing, and even hear them singing,

"Put your hand in the air, break your wrist, put it across your chest, try to bite your ear and go _og og_."

"What the hay?" whispered Twilight. Hooves looked just as confused as Twilight felt. Lorena, on the other hand, was digging through her backpack.

"Ha! Found it," Lorena cheered as she slipped a magazine into each of her guns.

"Um, found what?" asked Twilight.

"Silver bullets, especially effective against dead things," replied Lorena.

"As opposed to copper-jacketed lead bullets, which are especially effective against living things," said Hooves.

"Correct," Lorena acknowledged. Surveying the dancing ponies, the gears in Lorena's brain turned for a moment, before she turned to the Twilight and Hooves.

"Okay, so here's the plan. I'll move around to their left flank, while you two create a distraction. As they run towards you two, I'll flank 'em and blast 'em," explained Lorena.

"You wouldn't happen to have any silver three-fifty-seven bullets, would you?" asked Hooves.

"No, these two magazines are all I have, but if this works out, that should be enough," answered Lorena.

"And if there are more?" asked Twilight.

"Horse apples, I don't know. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. This is better than sitting around here with our thumbs up our flanks," replied Lorena. Despite her reservations as to the sensibility of the plan, Twilight nodded. Lorena had shown she was quite skilled at shooting do

"Okay. I'll flank around. When you hear a bird call, start the distraction," said Lorena. Twilight and Hooves nodded. With that, Lorena creeped around to the left of the fence.

As it happened, when Lorena was about half way to where she planned on flanking, a bird landed on a branch behind Twilight and Hooves. Since it was mating season for this particular species of bird, the bird called out to mates. Assuming the call was Lorena's signal, Twilight and Hooves started yelling and jumping up and down, drawing the ghost ponies' attention.

"No, not yet!" shouted Lorena, but the ghosts were already rushing towards Twilight and Hooves.

"Horse apples," muttered Lorena as she raised her guns and began shooting. Several ghost ponies disappeared into puffs of smoke before half of the ghosts turned and rushed her, the other half still going towards Twilight and Hooves. All Lorena could do was continue to fire away, thinning the ghost ponies' ranks.

As the ghost ponies neared Twilight and Hooves, Hooves turned to Twilight and said

"They are getting awfully close."

"Yeah," agreed Twilight. "I can hear Lorena shooting, but she's not killing them fast enough."

"I'm not sure 'killing' is the right word...after all, they are already dead," said Hooves.

"We can argue semantics _after_ we've lost these ghosts," snorted Twilight. Hooves quickly agreed, and the two ponies galloped at full speed to where Lorena was suppose to be, the ghost ponies quick at their heels. Lorena saw Twilight and Hooves galloping towards her with the ghost ponies following, and shouted

"Get down!" Twilight and Hooves did not have to be told twice. Lorena pointed one pistol at one group of of ghost ponies, the other pistol at the other group, and shot each gun into the ghostly crowd. After what seemed an eternity, but was actually less than a minute, Lorena stopped shooting. All of the ghost ponies were gone.

Hooves stood up and smiled at Lorena.

"You are a lot of things, and a good gun fighter is one of them," he said to Lorena, who smiled.

"You know it, sugercube!" she replied. Twilight just made a gagging motion as she arose.

"Let's just get inside the base," said Twilight, frustrated. With that, all three ponies made their way through a hold in the fence, and neared the entrance of the base proper. All along the way were rusted and vine covered military equipment such as tanks and jeeps. One item in particular caught Hooves eye.

"That must have been what shot up down," he pointed at a flak cannon.

"That thing?" said Twilight in disbelief. "That thing hasn't been operational in twenty years."

"Those pony soldiers haven't been operational for twenty years, either; but they sure almost had us," countered Hooves.

The entrance to the base was a canopy over the entrance to a cave. Lorena pulled out a torch, Hooves took out a lantern from his coat, and Twilight turned on a light spell, her horn illuminating around them. And they entered the case.

The passages ways were very narrow and dusty as they delved further and further into the cave. Eventually they came to a room with three more passages on the other end with signs over each passage.

"Uhh...I can't read this language," said Hooves.

"Neither can I," replied Lorena. Twilight squinted at the symbols on the signs.

"I've studied linguistics, and I think I can translate the basic meanings...yeah, that left one is 'mess hall'...don't think I want twenty-year old rations...middle one is command quarters...might be interesting...'special project laboratory', that's the one we need!" cried Twilight in excitement.

The right passage was a little wider than the one they had just left. After about fifty feet, a door at the end of the hall became visible. Twilight almost began to gallop to the door, until she heard a very faint _humming_ noise. Lorena and Hooves seemed to notice the sound, too.

"Lasers?" inquired Hooves. Lorena pulled out a spray can from her backpack, an sprayed the air in front of them. An intricate pattern of lasers blacked the middle section of the passage.

"No guards around here anymore, so should just be able to pass," said Twilight.

"Hold it," said Lorena, pushing Twilight back. She took a stick and passed it through one of the laser beams. The stick was cut neatly in two. Twilight gulped.

"Must be some switch box around there, somewhere," muttered Hooves, feeling the wall.

"Ha! I can dance through this laser beam field!" boasted Lorena. Her boasting reminded Twilight a lot of Rainbow Dash.

"I really can just find the switch box and disable the lasers," said Hooves.

"And deprive Twilight the sight of a ninja master? No way," replied Lorena. That was just how Rainbow Dash would have responded, Twilight thought.

Lorena did some stretches, and then did a somersault into the laser field, jumping and twisting every which way like a Twister game. Eventually she came to the other side of the laser field. Holding her head up high in achievement. Hooves clapped. This victorious mood was cut short when the tip of Lorena's nose fell onto the ground, blood seeping from the wound.

"Oh...oh no," Lorena muttered as she suddenly fell to the ground in cubes. Twilight gasped, and Hooves just shook his head.

"What a waste," he muttered. "And I'd just found the switch box, too. She was always too proud." With that, he arranged some wires in the box, and the laser faded. Carefully crossing the space, Twilight gingerly stepped over the bloody remains on the floor. Hooves keeled by the pile.

"Lorena...I know we had some rocky times...but I love you...rest in...no, I will not make that pun...that is how much I respect your memory...I am resisting my snarky urges...I love you...someday...we'll be together...again," Hooves sighed.

Twilight opened the door at the end of the hall. With that, a groaning sound came down the hallway. Suddenly, a dozen ghost ponies were charging them.

"Go!" cried Hooves to Twilight. Twilight shook her head.

"Go! I'll slow 'em down...I'm too sad to carry on, anyway," he said, and with that, cried a battlecray and charged the charging mass of pale ponies. Twilight looked on, stunned, for a moment, before going through the door and shutting it.

Inside, the room was filled with boxes, except the centre, where a strange contraption was. In the middle was seat, behind which was a large jar about the size of a pony filled with orange liquid, and in front two levers. Twilight stepped closer to the contraption, and saw a note by it. Picking up the note, it read

_What's up, Doc? Listen, this ain't no carrot peeler. It's a time machine! And a whole lot of trouble. I would not recommend the ride. You've been warned –B_

The rest of the signature was smeared, but she could read the post script.

_P.S. If you happen to run into either or both of the Warner brothers, could ya please tell them I'll be at the studio as soon as I remember to take that left turn at Albuquerque?_

The note made little sense to Twilight, but this did seem to be the time machine. She got into the seat and looked around.

"How do I work this thing?" she asked, leaning on one of the levers. Her answer was somewhat answered at the machine spinned, and puffed out of her present. 


	13. Chapter 13

**AUTHOR NOTE: **To my American readers, Happy Thanksgiving; and if there are similar holidays this week for my international readers (I think Canada has Thanksgiving on our Columbus Day?), I wish you have good festivities. With my work/life schedule, this chapter is a bit late, and with the Holiday Season, updates may be more spaced out, but I will try my best to update regularly. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 13

Twilight was still in shock when the time machine _poofed_ in...she was not really sure. The landscape was very dark and dreary, with dull green grass all around. In the distance she would see a very tall tower going into the sky. With no other lead, Twilight galloped to the swirling tower. As she got closer, she could see there was a moat around the tower, but luckily, a drawbridge was lowered. She crossed the drawbridge and entered the tower.

Twilight entered a candle lit room with a bookcase on the far-side behind a wooden bar. Behind the bar was...she really did not know how to describe it. A pale bipedal being wearing purple robes and propeller beanie. The being approached Twilight and spoke.

"Hello. I am Merlin, and I'm a sorcerer," said the strange bipedal being. Apprehensive, Twilight responded.

"I'm Princess Twilight of Equestria," she said.

"You wouldn't happen to know a grey rabbit, would you?" asked Merlin. Twilight noticed he kept rubbing his hands.

"You mean Angle Bunny? He's the only rabbit I know," replied Twilight.

Still rubbing his hands, Merlin said "Eh, nevermind. Where did you say you were from?"

"Equestria, where ponies live?" said Twilight. She had never known someone who had not heard of Equestria.

_Makes sense...surely Equestria did not have that name all throughout history._

"Um...where am I?" asked Twilight.

"You are lost in time. Right now, we are nowhere in time. Please don't ask me the metaphysics of that...we'll be here all century. Or we would, if there were anywhere in time, be this is nowhere in time," answered Merlin.

"Um...sure," responded Twilight. "Anyway, could you please help me?"

"Why, yes. You are lucky. That big white horse came by and chatted with me..." started Merlin.

"Princess Celestia?" interrupted Twilight.

"Yes, that was her name. Anyway, she stopped by and said another pony would be coming by...I take it that is you...so, I am to get you to your own time. Luckily, it will be easier than usual to accomplish that," said Merlin.

"How?" asked Twilight.

"You need to collect clocks to move from era to ear. However, since Princess Celestia controls the sun, and thus time, I am able to get you much closer to your time...it will be about twenty years behind...even I have my limits...but once you collect the clock there, you should be able to go back and save Pinkie...Pinkie _and_ the Brain?...anyway, correct whatever brought you here in the first place," explained Merlin.

"Hold on...you can travel through time?" asked Twilight, skeptical.

"Yes...in fact, I can show you want is happening in your own time," he replied. The constant hand rubbing was beginning to annoy Twilight.

"Okay, let's see it," said Twilight. Merlin stopped rubbing his hands long enough to wave his hands, and a second later the two were back in Ponyville. Twilight recognised Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo walking towards Sweet Apple Acres.

"Hey, Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo!" shouted Twilight. The two fillies did not respond at all.

"We can merely _observe_ time...we are not physically here...and cannot interact with this time at all," commented Merlin. Twilight resigned herself just to watch. Soon the two fillies where walking under apple trees. Before long, they spotted Apple Bloom. Twilight's heart sunk as she saw Apple Bloom's head turned to the ground. When she raised her head at the approaching fillies, Twilight observed how red and bloodshot the little yellow filly's eyes where.

"Apple Bloom," shouted Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo looked apprehensive. "I heard your sister killed my sister."

Apple Bloom looked at the two fillies a moment before saying in a sad voice.

"Ah...Applejack...killed herself..."

Sweetie Belle stepped forward before saying. "Yeah, she should after killing my sister!"

Apple Bloom's face went from sadness to fury.

"Ma sister did not deserve...you damn bitch!" Apple Bloom said before falling on Sweetie Belle, hooves beating her face.

"Apple Bloom, stop it!" cried Scootaloo. Apple Bloom continued plumbing her friend.

"STOP IT!" barked a more authoritative voice. Looking up, the fillies saw Big Mac towering over them. Apple Bloom got off Sweetie Bell and ran to Big Mac. Sweetie Belle got up, her nose bloodied.

"Apple Bloom, ya shouldn't be fighting," Big Mac said. Turning to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, he said "And you two should go home."

With that Sweetie Belle began walking back to Ponyville. Scootaloo, however, waited a minute before asking.

"So...are the romours about Rainbow Dash true?"

Big Mac seemed to debate in his head a minute, before answering in a softer tone "Rainbow Dash is dead."

Scootaloo's heart sunk. "How..." he began.

"A clone of Pinkie Twilight let live killed her," said Big Mac.

Tears built in Scootaloo's eyes before he asked "And what happened to the real Pinkie?"

"She...Twilight zapped her," answered Big Mac.

"Some princess she is...killing her friends and leaving crazy clones who kill your role models," said Scootaloo, anger mixing with her sadness.

"Nope," was all Big Mac said.

Twilight's heart sunk.

_I'll make this right...I have to._

Almost as if reading her thoughts, Merlin returned to Nowhere.

"Pretty heavy stuff," he noted. Twilight was too saddened to be annoyed by the hand rubbing.

Taking a deep breath, Twilight said "Yeah. How do I get to that clock?"

"Just get back on the time machine and pull the lever...it will go to the closest era to the one you want...and then you just have to find the clock," answered Merlin.

After a moment, Twilight said "Okay...thank you for your help."

"Sure thing, pony," replied Merlin. "Do let me know if you happened across a grey rabbit with a Brooklyn accent."

"Sure," Twilight said, before galloping out of the tower to the time machine. Pulling the lever, she warped though light and time. When the time machine finally stopped spinning, she looked at her surroundings. In every direction was a wasteland. The ground was scorched and littered with craters. Twilight had to catch herself from gagging on the smell of ruin and decay...and sulphur? Sudden it dawned on Twilight.

Twenty years before her she zapped Pinkie, was the middle of the First Equestria War.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Twilight took in the desolation was a moment. Not a single tree. Not a single flower. Not even a single blade of grass. Just bombed out dirt. Even the sun looked different; not the usual friendly yellow, but a deep red-orange, more like a close-up of Mars than the celestial body Princess Celestia rose and lowered daily.

_Appropriate Ares would be looking down at this_.

Twilight's mind finally came back as she heard shouting.

_How can anything be alive here?_

Twilight had read about the Great War in various books, even seen the old black-and-white photographs of the devastation. But no book, no matter how much detail the historian put in; and no photograph, no matter how talented the photographer, could bring justice to the hopelessness the landscape brought.

"What the bucks the matter with you?! Stay out in nopony's land and you'll die!" shouted the red pegasus now suddenly in front of her. The pegasus grabbed Twilight and almost dragged her into a nearby trench. In the relative safety, he said

"Blimey! What are you doing out there?" A moment later, he added "Who are you?"

Slowly coming out of her shock, Twilight softly said her name.

"Twilight Sparkle...you the pony Princess Celestia wants me to escort to some clock?"

"YES!" cried Twilight. She quickly put her hand over her mouth and said "sorry...it's just this whole situation is crazy."

"No problem. I've seen worse," replied the red pegasus.

"What is your name?" asked Twilight.

"Flight Leftenant Lighting Dash," answered the pony.

"So, Princess Celestia told you to find me?" asked Twilight.

"Yes, quite the sight, being called into Battalion HQ to receive orders from the Princess herself. Lance Corporal Pie and I are to take you behind enemy lines and insert you where intelligence says some clock...thing...is," answered Lightning Dash.

_I guess I shouldn't be too surprised...after all...Celestia does have limited time travel powers...she was able to go to Nowhere to get that Merlin thing to help me...this must be important to her to expend that energy...if she knew this...why didn't _she_ do something before?_

"Miss Sparkle," Lightening Dash brought Twilight out of her thoughts. "We need to get back to the air base. It's three miles behind these lines...you can follow me...do you thing you can make it?"

Twilight was not a great flier. She still had not gotten totally use to controlling her wings. However, she could make a flight of a few miles. After agreeing, they were off. From the sky, the earth looked like the moon; a crater-filled wasteland. Eventually, the landscape was replaced by a mass of buildings, tents, and balloons.

Following Lightening Dash's descent, Twilight soon landed on a strip of concrete. A magenta pony wearing a soft helmet with goggles approached and then stopped in front of Lightening Dash.

"Lance Corporal Pie report, sir," the magenta earth pony said, saluting. Lightening Dash saluted back and ordered Pie at ease.

"Lance Corporal Pie, this is Twilight Sparkle, the pony the Princess ordered us to escort."

Turning to Twilight, Pie said "Nice to meet you, Miss Sparkle. I am Lance Corporal Magentan Artemis Pie of the Royal Balloon Service."

"Very nice to make your acquaintance, Lance Corporal Pie," replied Twilight. Somehow, Pie made her feel at ease; almost as if his natural energy was flowing into her body and mind.

"You can just call me Mag," replied Mag, smiling.

"Humph...can I call you Mag?" teased Lighting.

"Only if I can call you Dashie," smiled Mag. All three ponies shared a laugh. Twilight's laugh was slightly less full than the other two ponies.

_You aren't the only Dashie..._

"So...guess we should be on our way," said Lightening.

"Once I'm at the insertion point, what then?" asked Twilight.

"No clue. Intelligence seems to indicate it is just in an open field...makes me think of a trap," replied Lightening.

"Perhaps it waiting to alarm for a super cool party," quibbled Mag.

"I...seriously doubt that," said Lightening, an eyebrow raised in annoyance. "Enough horsing around, time to get this little pony on her way." He turned and made his way to a nearby balloon.

"You and Lance Corporal Pie are to ride in this balloon, while I escort you to the insertion point," said Lightening, sounding suddenly serious. "If we encounter the enemy, I will intersect any enemy fighters, while Pie uses the machine gun to hold off the enemy," said Lightening.

"I know a few defensive spells, like fire ball and magic missile," said Twilight.

"Okay...but you are the VIP...your first priority is to get that clock...Celestia knows why it is so important...Pie and myself are expendable," explained Lightening.

Twilight swallowed hard. She hated thinking herself above other ponies...but her pragmatism reminded herself that...she really was a VIP...only she could use the clock to travel to that one moment her and her friends' lives had, unknowingly, changed. Sighing, she entered the balloon with Pie.

The first hour of the balloon flight was actually quite pleasant. The air in her mane was exciting. Lightening circled the balloon. Pie's constant jokes made Twilight laugh. Eventually, Lightening returned to the balloon and entered the basket.

"Think I'll take a little break," said Lightening, sitting down with his forelegs behind his head. After a few moments of quiet, Pie asked.

"Flight Leftenant Dash-"

"Call Light," replied Lightening.

"Okay...Light...what is Cloudsdale like?" asked Pinkie.

Lightening thought a minute, and said "I like it a lot...I thought about going to the ground to a weather controller...but I just like the clouds too much...besides, that doesn't pay as well as my supervisor job at the weather factory."

"Weather factory? Like where they make rainbows?" asked Pie, excited.

"Not my department...those ponies have long faces...I wonder why?" Lightening said.

"Yeah, rainbows are, like, super happy, and stuff," noted Pie. Lightening just nodded his head. Pie continued, "if you'd like to be a weather controller, the money shouldn't matter, as long as you're happy."

"Yeah...that's why you single colts without a family say, repeating those motivational speakers at your school," said Lightening, shaking his head. "When you have a newborn filly, feeding her suddenly becomes a higher priority than 'finding your passion' or 'living your dreams' or some horse apple like that."

"You have a family?" said Pie.

"Yeah...my wife delivered a foal just before I was deployed...let's see...here's a picture...doesn't do justice...you should see her rainbow mane!" said Lightening, pulling out a black-and-white photograph. Twilight gasped.

Although a pony could not tell it from the sepia picture, Twilight imagined the rainbow mane of the tiny foal.

"What is her name?" asked Twilight, looking for confirmation of her theory.

"With that mane? Rainbow," replied Lightening.

"Rainbow...Dash?" said Twilight. So this was a foal Rainbow Dash. And this was her father...in one way, Twilight felt better about getting back to a time her friend was alive...on the other hand, her friend's father was going into enemy territory.

_Come now, relax...he survived the war...remember Rainbow talking about her dad...but what if I change this past...and change the future?_

"Nice name," said Pie.

"How about you, Pie? What is home for you," asked Lightening.

"Not very fun...just some old rock farm...I recently moved to this little place called Ponyville," answered Pie, blowing his mane up at the mention of the rock farm.

_Pie...rock farm...could it be?...but Pinkie never mentioned any brother...and he lives in Ponyville...well, perhaps he moved...but..._

"Do you have sisters?" asked Twilight.

"Yeah, there is Maud, Marble, and Limestone," he answered.

"No Pinkie?" asked Twilight, suddenly catching herself.

"Pinkie...ha ha...what a funny name," said Mag.

"What kind of name is 'Pinkie'," laughed Lightening. The two laughed. Twilight made nervous, fake laughs.

"Are you gonna ask next is I have a brother named 'Brain'," laughed Pie. Lightening joined in, and together the two made a chorus of laughter.

Their laughter was interrupted but bullets.

"Blood hell! Enemy fighters! To battle stations!" shouted Lightening, taking off into the sky.

"Okie dookey Dashie," said Mag, pulling back the bolt of a machine gun back. Twilight could see a dozen small shapes whizzing around the balloon. Mag pushed the butterfly trigger, sending a hail of bullets into one of the blurs. Suddenly the blur stopped in mid-air, briefly showing a grey pegasus, blood flooding out of the hold in her head, before she fell.

"Have a soft landing!" laughed Mag as he continued firing.

Looking into the sky, Twilight could see a red blur, dodging bullets, tracer rounds leaving him and into other blurs that then fell. Between the two air ponies, most of the grey blurs had fallen, and the few left retreated.

"Ha ha! Take that, Hun!" shouted Mag. Suddenly, the air around the balloon went _pop_, with a small of cloud of back smoke. Another _pop_ rang through the air, quickly joined by other smoke clouds.

"Flack!" cried Mag. "Take the flack jacket!" Mag said, handing Twilight a heavy jacket.

"What about you?" asked Twilight.

"I'm expendable, remember?" He replied. Twilight paused. "Don't worry about me...you gotta get there in one piece," said Mag. Twilight put the heavy jacket on her. As soon as she did, a cry entered her ears.

"Dash! No!" cried Mag at the sight of a red blur falling towards the ground. "Damn you! Damn you all to Tartarus!" Mag threw a few bombs over the edge of the balloon in rage. Before he could more, the basket suddenly fell as the balloon above it disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Damn, hit the balloon," said Mag. "You go, I have a parachute," Mag said as he jumped out of the balloon. Twilight lifted her wings and exited the balloon, too, seeing a white parachute opening below her. She descended to get next to Mag. When she was slightly above him, another _pop_ came, and Twilight lost control. She began to fall to the ground. Looking up, she could see Mag, but oddly, not his legs...

Twilight, being a magical alicorn, did not die upon impact, but was knocked unconscious for a minute. When she opened her eyes...

Mag laid a few feet away from her. At least half of him, anyway. His torso ended in a red mass of hanging intestines and blood. Lightening was clutching Mag in his arms.

"Li...Light.."

"Shh...shh..save your strength, lad," soothed Lightening, not looking much better.

"Did...did I do go..goo..good?" asked Mag. Tears appeared in Lightening's eyes.

"Yes...you did great...I've never seen a balloon gunner take out so many enemy pilots...you'll get a medal..." replied Lightening, rubbing Mag's face.

"Put them...put them on my grave..." croaked Mag, suddenly going limp.

"No...no...NO!" cried Lightening, tears streaming down his face. Gently, he closed Mag's eye lids, and just buried his face in Mag's chest as he cried.

With that, Twilight blacked back out.

She woke up, but not where she had slept...it was night, in a rocky landscape with a simple farm house close by.

"Hello, pony," a voice surprised Twilight. Turning around, Twilight saw Merlin.

"Where am I?" she asked.

"Oh...well, your body is still mashed on the ground in that war...but your mind astrally projected to this place," said Merlin. After a minute of looking, Twilight suddenly recognised where she was.

"This is the rock farm...where Pinkie is from," she said.

"If you say so...I'm just observing," said Merlin. Twilight was about so say something, in particular about her wish for him to stop rubbing his hands, when she suddenly heard a cry from the farm house. Going nearer, she quickly realised it was a cry of help.

"Yes! Yes! YES! Iggy, deeper! Harder!" Twilight now recognised the panting and moaning, and the sound of two bodies banging into each other.

"Ew! What the hay?" said Twilight. Suddenly, she heard.

"Oh Cloudy! Cloudy! Baby! Imma AHHHHH! AHHH! AHH! Ahh! Oh..._pant...pant." _

"Seriously, why am I seeing...well...hearing..._this_?!" asked Twilight.

Merlin, hands running said, "Well, sometimes when you are really wondering something...you get an answer."

Twilight thought this bit of information over in her mind.

_Yeah...I was wondering if he was her brother...now I know why he didn't know her...life...oh life...c'est la vie...a pony dies...a new pony is created...no net gain for this family...did Pinkie even know she _had_ a brother?..._

The metaphysical philosophising, along with the disturbing thought of hearing her friend's conception, was too much for Twilight, and things went black again.


	15. Chapter 15

**AUTHOR NOTE: **Hope all my American readers had a safe and fun Thanksgiving with family and loved ones, and that my international readers are doing well, also. And thank all of you for your continued interest in this story. I was surprised at 100 views, but now this story has over 600 in less than a month. As I see the story now, we are about three-quarters of the way through, though length might change as new ideas come to me. Hope you all enjoy, and please leave a review/comment about anything you like, or something I can work on.

Chapter 15

Slowly Twilight's mind entered the sleep cycle segment between deep sleep and being awake. In this mix of consciousness and sleep, she pondered everything that had happened to her in the last few days. With her eyes still closed, she could feel a pillow underneath her head, and a coarse blanket over he body.

_In bed...last thing I remember...well, besides Pinkie Pie being made...was laying on the ground...I'm in a bed...I'm in a bed! This was all just a dream! No...no...a nightmare. But it isn't real! I'm in my bed! Spike is doing morning chores, not having his neck broken... Rainbow Dash is clearing the sky of clouds, not being tortured... Pinkie Pie is baking, without using pony... Applejack is tending to her orchard, not hanging from it...Rarity is making some dress, her head on her shoulders...and Fluttershy is tending to her animals, not electrocuted. There's no Sherpony Hooves...no Lorena Coult...no pygmies...no time machine...no wizard rubbing his hands...no First Equestia War... just me in my nice, warm, safe bed in nice, friendly Ponyville. Yeah. I'm just going to open my eyes and forget about this nightmare._

With that, Twilight opened her eyes.

Her hopes were instantly shattered as she saw the dark trench she was in, saw the rough wool blanket and felt the lumpy pillow, saw the solider ponies in uniforms and helmets of the Great War, felt the soreness throughout her body, touched the bandages around her head. Her groan of realisation caught a yellow pegasus' attention.

"Told you she'd wake up," said the pegasus to a white unicorn with a mustache. Walking over to Twilight, the pegasus asked her how she was feeling.

"Kinda sore...where am I?" replied Twilight.

"In trench one-thirteen, eastern sector. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Captain Keeneye of the Ninth Royal Regiment of Foot," said the pegasus. Twilight noticed he had a bullseye for a cutie mark. Turning to the white unicorn, Keeneye continued

"And this is Corporal Hondo Flanks." Hondo nooded.

"I'm Twilight Sparkle. Where's Lightening Dash and Mag Pie?" Twilight wondered.

With a serious look in his face, Keeneye answered,

"Flight Leftenant Dash is in a hospital a few miles from the front." With a deep breath his added, "I regret to inform you Lance Corporal Pie was killed in action." Twilight's heart sunk. She knew that injury was mortal, but hearing the confirmation somehow hit her heart.

Looking up again, Keeneye said "Flight Leftenant Dash briefed me of the mission you all were on. We're just a few miles from this field, so when you feel up to it, we'll go get that clock."

Twilight thought about beginning immediately. She wanted to fix the future...well, past, but this time's future...as soon as possible. But she was very sore, and, she just realised, hungry. Deciding she's need all her strength to complete the mission, she said

"I think I'll be less sore in the morning, and thus more agile, which might prove useful. And...do we have anything to eat? I'm so hungry I could eat a...well, you know."

The two ponies nodded. "Very well, we'll see how you feel in the morning. As far as good goes, just some rations. Not Cantelot five star, but they aren't _that_ bad," said Keeneye. Hondo handed Twilight an opened bag of oats. If Twilight had not been so hungry, the oats would have been too stale and coarse for her, but anything in her stomach made her sigh in relief.

"Mailpony is here," said Hondo, looking at a pony carrying a large bag.

"Letters for Captain Keeneye and Corporal Flanks," said the crossed eyed colt, handing an envelope to each pony and then going on his way.

Excitingly opening their mail and reading a few minutes, Hondo smiled and said.

"Cookie delivered our foal!". Keeneye and Twilight congratulated Hondo. Hondo continued "Damn war...not there to see my own filly born. At least there is a picture." Holding up a black-and-white photograph, Twilight and Keeneye saw the tiny white filly.

"What's her name?" asked Keeneye.

"Rarity, after her grandmother," said Hondo. Twilight gasped. The unicorn did have the same cutie mark, three footballs; she should have put it together sooner, but she'd never imagined she'd see her friend's fathers. Rainbow Dash's dad was unlikely enough, but Rarity's dad, too?

"She's a cute filly. Speaking of which, my Fluttershy said her first word. 'Dada'," said Keeneye. Hondo "aww" while Twilight raised her eyebrows.

_Pinkie's brother, Rainbow Dash and Rarity's dads, now Fluttershy's dad...she did mention he was a sniper during the war. What's next?_

"Oh, some more gossip from that mare Major Sparkle knocked up...apparently, that mare was asking my wife-she's quite the herbalist—about some Queen Anne's lace seeds and pennyroyal oil," said Keeneye. Twilight raised an eyebrow at Major _Sparkle_.

"Doesn't he already have a filly on the way, from his actual _wife?_" replied Hondo.

"Yeah...he could just move out to Salt Lick City and marry both...I'd like to see the look on his wife's face if she knew, haha," chuckled Keeneye.

_No...I'm sure there were hundreds of Major Sparkles during the war...what rank _was _dad during the war?_

"Well, enough gossip...Hondo, that first watch, I'm gonna get some sleep. We will switch at one-hundred hours. Sleep well, Miss Sparkle, we have a rough day ahead of us." And with that, Hondo grabbed a pair of binoculars while Keeneye settled into a mat on the ground and was quickly snoring.

"How does his wife get any sleep?" grumbled Hondo. Twilight, however, had trouble sleeping for a reason other than the chainsaw imitation Keeneye was doing.

_Couldn't be dad...he'd never do that...they said his wife was with foal..._

"Corporal Flanks?" Twilight called.

"Yes?" he replied.

"What is the date?" asked Twilight.

"March twentieth," answered Hondo. Thanking Hondo, Twilight did some mental math.

_My mother would have been with me...oh, what am I saying? This idle speculation is doing nothing other than keeping me tired. _

And Twilight fell into a fretful sleep.

Twilight woke up and tried to look around, but could move her head. Using her eyes to look down, she saw herself strapped down to a table. Looking around the room, she only saw a single swinging light bulb illuminating a circle on the floor. Suddenly, a pink pony walked out of the darkness into the radius of the light.

"Pinkie?" asked Twilight. The pink pony certainly _looked_ like Pinkie, but without the usual bouncy energy and smile.

"Yeah," snapped the pink pony. "Or I might be a clone, not that you could tell the difference."

"Pinkie...I'm...I'm so sorry," Twilight said slowly.

"Sorry doesn't put my wings back on!" cried a raspy voice. Then a cyan pony, bloody stumps on her back and stomach opened, dragging intestines across the floor, came into the light. Twilight's stomach jumped at the sickening sight. "The _real_ Pinkie would never do this, but you got rid of her...did you pick the most 'obedient' one cause she embarrassed you with her Pinkie sense?" shouted the disemboweled Rainbow Dash.

"What?! No, I would never..." Twilight cried.

"Lookey at her, all high falutin', thinking she better than all us other ponies," said Applejack as she walked into the light, noose around her bend neck, face blue.

"But she is most incompetent...I mean, she looses her own head more often that I loose mine," said Rarity as she entered the light, the top of her head falling off, leaving a wiggling tongue.

"Why'd you kill Pinkie, Twilight?" Fluttershy's voice came. "All this could have been avoided...I thought you loved me." Fluttershy, singed and smelling of burnt mean came into the light.

"Oh Fluttershy, I do love you...oh Celestia-"said Twilight. Suddenly, the lights came on, showing the torture basement from Sugar Cube Corner. In the middle was Princess Celestia, with an angry look on her face.

"Twilight Sparkle, how DARE you use my name! I sent you here to learn about friendship...that did not include murdering one of them, leaving behind a psychopathic facsimile to butcher my subjects, and then bungle the investigation so badly all the Elements of Harmony died...I never should have chosen you as a student," Celestia said. "Let's just see how small that brain of yours is...Pinkie Pie, dear...would you do the honours?"

Pinkie Pie saluted and picked up a small circular saw in her mouth. Twilight screamed, but could not move her head as Pinkie turned the saw on and placed the moving teeth on her forehead. Twilight screamed in pain as the teeth dug through flesh and bone, Pinkie moving the saw around the circumference of her head. Blood flowed down Twilight's forehead into her eyes. After what seemed like forever, Pinkie finally turned the saw off. Them, grabbing Twilight by the mane, lifted her skull cap, exposing Twilight's brain. Twilight had to admit, the pressure off her brain was a pleasant feeling...drilling holes into skulls really did help with headaches...

"I'm surprised it isn't filled with shit," said Celestia. "Does look tasty..." With that, Celestia, spoon in hoof, walked over and got a spoonful of Twilight's brain to eat. After chewing the matter and swallowing, Celestia commented "Pretty tasty, don't you think so, Pinkie?" At this, Pinkie got a tortilla chip and dipped out some of Twilight's brain, and ate it. Her face went up into a smile.

"Oh, Princess, it is good! Everypony, dig in!", and with that, the other ponies came with spoons and began eating Twilight's brain...

Twilight jumped up on the map, covered in cold sweat, panting, and shaking.

_That nightmare...oh...girls...I _will_ make this right..._

Keeneye looked over to Twilight. "I was about to wake you up, but you did that for me," he said. "Like some coffee?" he asked.

"No, thank you. It just make me jittery," replied Twilight. Keeneye just shrugged and sipped some coffee before shaking a sleeping Hondo awake.

After eating a light breakfast of stale oats, packing supplies, and checking weapons, the three ponies went on their way. Captain Keeneye was a head of Twilight and Corporal Flanks scouting. Eventually, the barren land gave way to a forest.

"Okay, the meadow is in the middle of this forest. Normally, we'd get there in maybe five minutes. But apparently the forest is crawling with the enemy, so we'll have to tread carefully," noted Keeneye. The three ponies quietly went into the forest.

The ground was covered with old leaves, and the sun light was yellow as it flowed through the trees. While the ponies were moving as quietly as they could, to Keeneye each rustling of leaves and snap of twigs coming behind him sounded like a fog horn saying "hey Hun, where are three ponies just waiting for you to shoot".

Suddenly, a barely audible click was heard, and everypony stopped. While Twilight did not know the significance, she knew from the others' concerned looks that something very serious had just occurred.

"I...I think I've stepped on a mine," uttered Hondo, sweating. Keeneye bent down to Hondo's feet and moved the leaves and some dirt around.

"Yes...the front left hoof...I know how to disarm this, but you _must_ stay completely motionless, or this thing will take all three of us," said Keeneye. With that, Keeneye pulled out a knife and began digging around a circle under the hoof. Twilight could see the outline of a mine come out of the dirt. After wiping off some sweat from his forehead, Keeneye used his knife to pry off a small lid off the mine. All three ponies sweated heavily as Keeneye manipulated the tiny wires and screws inside the mine, like some potentially explosive surgery. Finally finding and cutting the wire he was looking for, Keeneye looked up at Hondo and said "Okay, it should be disarmed..._very_ slowly raise your hoof." Shaking, Hondo slowly raised his hoof, giving a sigh of relief when the three were not blown to kingdomcome.

"Thank you, Captain," said Hondo.

"Of course," replied Keeneye. "Probably even more mines..."

"Hey, I know a spell that would mark them out!" said Twilight, mentally kicking herself for not thinking of using the spell earlier. Hondo and Keeneye looked at each other.

"That would be useful," said Keeneye.

"If there are no magic detectors around," countered Hondo. Keeneye seemed to think the matter over a few minutes, and said

"It might attract attention, but if we're blown up, the mission is failed anyway. Miss Sparkle, cast the spell." With that, Twilight's horn glowed purple, and suddenly glowing purple circles appeared around them.

"Okay, be careful not to step on the circles," said Keeneye, and with that, the three ponies continued on their way, still moving as quietly as possible. Eventually they arrived at the edge of the clearing. Looking through a pair of binoculars, Keeneye said "There's the clock...curious thing", handing the binoculars to Twilight. Focusing, she saw a floating blue windup clock in the middle of the clearing.

"No mines," noted Hondo. "So, we just go grab it?"

"This just so feels like a trap...but I don't see any enemies, and no mines. Let's just dash in, grab the stupid thing, and leave," said Keeneye. The three galloped to the clock.

Suddenly, from the side of the meadow.

"See, I _knew_ I detected some magic, Hans," said a pony in a grey uniform and spiked helmet.

"Shut up and shoot them," replied the other uniformed pony. The two aimed their rifles and fired. The shots made Twilight, Keeneye, and Hondo flew to the ground. Keeneye quickly aimed down his sights, and a second later the pony not-Hans fell. Twilight shot a fireball, striking Hans, who screamed as he was quickly reduced to ash. The sound of gunfire, fire, and screams brought many enemy ponies from all around the edge of the meadow. Keeneye quickly unloaded four more bullets, bringing down four more ponies, before having to reload. Twilight continued to shoot fireballs, which were slower and easier to dodge than bullets, so the flying fireballs disoriented the enemy more than anything. Hondo pulled the pin of a grenade and toss it into a group of enemy ponies, the explosion blowing the group down.

"Interception good!" he cried, raising his rifle to continue shooting. Despite shooting down many enemy ponies, even more ponies came.

"There's too many of 'em," said Keeneye. "Miss Sparkle, go for the clock." Twilight hesitated.

"The sooner you get that bloody clock, the sooner we can get the buck out of here," shouted Keeneye. With that, Twilight galloped as fast as she could to the clock. Just a few feet from it, a sharp pain shot through her left flank as a bullet found its mark. However, the thrill of her goal being just a few feel away pushed her forward, until the clock was in her hooves.

Suddenly, a black, swirling portal opened in the ground. A voice entered her mind.

"Jump down the portal, pony," said Merlin. Twilight looked around, but could not see him.

"You can ask questions later, just enter the portal!" cried Merlin.

"What about Keeneye and Hondo?" asked Twilight. Enemy ponies were closing in on the two ponies.

"It will be fine! Just enter the damn portal, or all this will be for nothing!" cried Merlin. Looking at the two ponies once more, Twilight took a deep breath and jumped into the portal. 


	16. Chapter 16

**AUTHOR NOTE: **Thanks to everyone for sticking around to this point. This is it, the last chapter. There will be an epilogue. And a lot of the plot points brought up (i.e. Fluttershy's hunt, Twilight's father's infidelity) will probably become fan fictions of their own. Some of the first paragraphs from the original "Cupcakes" will be in the middle, so credit to the original author, Sargent Sparkles. Creating a bit of a fan verse, if you will. Thanks for the reviews, as well as the PM tips. Hope you enjoy this last chapter. "Die Young" is by the talented and beautiful Kesha Sherbet.

Chapter 16

Twilight jumped down the portal, falling through swirling blackness. Spinning downward, Twilight felt her stomach do flips until she suddenly landed on the hard, cold ground. Shaking her head and picking herself up, Twilight recognised she was standing outside her library.

_Okay...I'm back...guess past me is about to zap Pinkie...I'll save you, Pinkie...I'll save you, all my friends...Better be sure not to change anything else...what will my past self do...better not touch her...might do something to the time-space continuum...please Celestia, help me...well, you have been helping me, but please don't let me screw this up...okay, here goes..._

Taking a deep breath, Twilight walked up to her front door and went inside.

Inside as a scene she'd played in her mind numerous times since clone Pinkie Pie had made her confession...when she had learn her _own _part in the atrocities committed in Sugar Cube Corner basement...here was the genesis of all that, the day good, fun, wonderful Pinkie Pie was replaced by an abomination...by Twilight's own horn. Time to set right what was wrong.

"STOP!" Twilight shouted, getting everypony's attention. The entire room stood still, jaws hanging down, staring at her.

Finally the silence was broken by Spike. "Um...Twilight, did you go to the Mirror Pool, too?"

"No...who...who are—are those wings?" past Twilight asked.

Future Twilight took a deep breath. "I am you from the future...and yes, these are wings, but that's not why I'm here. You...I...we are about to make a horrible, terrible mistake, which will set in motion horrible, terrible chain of events. This test...this test chose the wrong Pinkie...and the Pinkie that walked away...is _not_ a good pony. So, I have a different test."

After a moment of no one saying anything, future Twilight said "Okay, you want to make sure I'm legit...let me whisper something in my ear only I would know." And with that, future Twilight walked up to her past self, put a hoof to her ear, and whispered, "Our cherry popped from a levitation spell gone awry." Past Twilight pulled back, blushing.

"What is it, Twilight?" asked Spike.

"Nothing! This is me...okay, future me...what do you propose?" said past Twilight.

"Okay...what does each Pinkie love the most?" replied future Twilight.

Quickly, a barrage of different answers came. "Chocolate!" "Sugar!" "Kesha!" "What is love? Baby don't hurt me, no more." With each incorrect answer, future Twilight zapped until there were only two Pinkies left.

"Parties and Laughter!" said the second to last one. Future Twilight did not zap, as this was a good answer. The other Pinkie looked down, uncertain.

"Go ahead, tell us what you love the most...this is a judgment-free zone," said future Twilight.

The other Pinkie breathed deeply and said "Rarity...Rarity is what _I_ love the most...don't get me wrong, I _love_ parties, and laughter is my Element, but ever since that unicorn and I opened her heart to the other...it has been magic."

"Congratulations! We have the real Pinkie!" cried future Twilight. Past Twilight and Spike looked confused.

"Are you sure?" asked past Twilight.

"Trust me...enough for anilingus," replied future Twilight.

"How do you...damn Applejack, I _thought_ we had an _understanding_," said Pinkie.

"Damn it! I was gonna have so much fun! Butchering ponies in my basement and using their body parts to make wonderful cupcakes," said the other Pinkie. Past Twilight and Spike's jaws hung down.

"You...what? You bucking...what? You bucking psycho! Is that...Is that what happened...will happen?...Damn, I buck up...I bucked up bad..." said Past Twilight.

"Rarity...she was my...wait, what is anilingus?" said Spike, scratching his chin as he asked.

"Never mind, I'll tell you when you're older," said past Twilight. With that, she zapped the last clone.

Future Twilight sighed in relief. Suddenly, a black, swirling portal opened in the middle of the room.

"Guess this takes me back to my time...hope this fixes everything," said future Twilight. With that, she began walking into the portal, when suddenly past Twilight said.

"Wait! You...uh...wouldn't happen to know any lotto numbers...would you," she finished with a smile.

"No," future Twilight said, deadpan, before walking into the portal...

Rainbow Dash soared through the sky on this particularity hot day before remembering she had promised Pinkie Pie to meet at Sugar Cube Corner. Rainbow figured "why not" and flew to Sugar Cube Corner. She was not sure what Pinkie wanted...with Pinkie, it could be anything...but she decided to find out. Landing and entering Sugar Cube Corner, she was instantly greeted by Pinkie Pie.

"Hi Pinkie, sorry I'm late," greeted Rainbow.

"Oh, no big deal. I'm just glad you're here," greeted Pinkie.

"So, what are we going to do? Pull some more pranks?" asked Rainbow.

"MAKING CUPCAKES!" answered Pinkie.

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "Pinkie...I'm not very good at baking," she replied.

"Oh, don't worry. I'll be doing most of the work, you'll just be helping," said Pinkie. Rainbow just shrugged.

"But first, have a cupcake. I baked it especially for you," said Pinkie, handing Rainbow a cupcake...

"Mighty nice of ya to git rid of those varmints eating up all ma apples, Fluttershy" said an orange earth pony to a yellow pegasus walking besides her in Ponyville.

"Oh, it was no trouble at all, Applejack," replied the yellow pegesus.

"Them new cupcakes Pinkie Pie is excited about are still on me," said Applejack as the two ponies turned a corner.

"She really is excited about them," commented Fluttershy.

"Yeah. That pony sure does know how to bake a cupcake. Ah swear they taste better each time I eat 'em," observed Applejack.

The two ponies made their way into Sugar Cube Corner. From the back they could hear

"So while you're here in my arms  
>Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young<p>

We're gonna die young  
>We're gonna die young<p>

Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young

Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young"

Walking back into the kitchen, they could see Pinkie and Rainbow Dash dancing around, a bottle of Jack Horseanles on the counter top, singing.

"Oh...hi Applejack..._hiccup_...me and ol' Pinkie Pie here are wiping up some tasty cupcakes..._hiccup_," said Rainbow Dash, grabbing a hold of Pinkie Pie.

"Yes siree...this..._hiccup_...will be the best..._hiccup_...cupcakes," agreed Pinkie.

Suddenly, Twilight Sparkle burst into Sugar Cube Corner.

"Pinkie! Rainbow Dash! You're alive!" she cried.

"Well, of course we're alive...just the _song_ is 'Die Young', silly," said Pinkie.

"Great...great...hey, Pinkie...I'm just gonna do a royal health inspection of the basement..." said Twilight.

"Okie Dookey Loki," said Pinkie as Twilight rushed to the basement.

To Twilight's relief, the basement was as it should be, just old boxes and cobwebs. No torture chamber...no blood...no organ balloons...no intestine streamers...just a normal basement.

Rushing back upstairs, Twilight grouped all her friends.

"Oh, girls, you don't know how happy I am to see you!" she exclaimed.

"Um...sure," said Applejack awkwardly; she'd never seen Twilight so affectionate before.

"Hey Twilight, want a cupcake?" asked Pinkie.

"No thank you...I've already ate. I think I'll just have an after dinner mint."


	17. Epilogue

**AUTHOR NOTE: **Here it is, the Epilogue. Some of my reviewers asked me not to include clop, others did. To make this fair, this epilogue does not have any significant plot points (Fluttershy and Twilight admit their feelings to each other, Applejack and Rainbow Dash are an open couple, while Pinkie Pie and Rarity are still keeping their relationship secret), so if you do not wish to read clop, you can just stop at the last chapter. If clop is your cup of tea, enjoy. Goes without saying, but **heavy/graphic mature sexual content, viewer discretion is advised.**

Epilogue

Twilight had just finished lighting the candles on the table when a knock came to her door. Expectantly, she opened her front door to allow her friend Fluttershy in.

"Oh, quite the atmosphere you have here, Twilight," said Fluttershy. On the table of the candle-lit room were flowers, a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice, two china plates with a chef salad on them, with lobster waiting to be eaten, followed by a desert of chocolate and strawberries, and two goblets.

"Oh, it's the least I can do for a good friend. I'm so glad you could come," replied Twilight.

"Yeah. It is awfully nice of Pinkie and Rarity to animal sit at my cottage," said Fluttershy.

_Oh, not that strange, my love. Cottage by the woods, no other pony around...a nice fireplace...those two have some ulterior motives...well...works out well for me..._

"Yes, it is nice of those two," noted Twilight with a smile.

"It was a tad bit strange they asked if I had any cucumbers," noted Fluttershy.

"Perhaps Pinkie will give Rarity a facial," chuckled Twilight. Fluttershy soon joined her in laughing, through probably with a different definition of "facial" that was in Twilight's head.

In the background was playing Twilight's favourite 80's/90's love songs. After the salad and the lobster, in the middle of the chocolate and strawberries, and after a few glasses of wine each (each glass lowering inhibitions a bit for both ponies) and mostly small talk throughout the meal, Fluttershy said.

"Thank you for the great meal, Twilight! But, may I ask what the occasion is?"

"Oh...you know...life is too short to keep some emotions secret, like Applejack and Rainbow Dash," answered Twilight, looking into Fluttershy's big, beautiful blue eyes. A couple of weeks after Twilight fixed the past, she played matchmaker between Applejack and Rainbow Dash until, one day about a month later, they announced their relationship to the other four Elements. Twilight hoped this openness would lure Pinkie and Rarity out. In any case, Twilight hoped on the heels of Applejack and Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy might be more comfortable showing her own feelings.

"Yes. It is. I am so happy about those two. Imagine, just being able to open up to another pony like that. Must be nice," said Fluttershy, talking more to herself than to Twilight.

"Fluttershy," began Twilight, leaning towards Fluttershy, staring deeply into the blue eyes. Twilight noticed the pegasus staring back into her own violet eyes. "If there is...anything...on your mind...or your heart...you can always tell me."

Fluttershy gulped before saying, "Well...Twilight...I'm not a naive pony...I feel you probably made this lovely...rather romantic dinner...for a reason...well...if that is the case...I...I love you...as more than friends."

With that, Twilight leaned into Fluttershy and kissed her. At first, Fluttershy was surprised, but soon her tongue entered Twilight's mouth, their tongues exploring the other's mouth. Eventually, they broke the kiss, tongues between them with some saliva.

"It seems we are of the same mind of this matter," said Twilight. Fluttershy just nodded before Twilight went in for another miss, flowing her hooves through Fluttershy's soft, pink hair.

After pulling back, Twilight asked "Wanna go to my bed?"

"Yes!" said Fluttershy, and soon the two ponies entered Twilight's bedroom. Twilight was now very happy Spike had gone to that gem convention, giving the two ponies privacy. Twilight lowered Fluttershy on her back onto her bed, and soon got on top of her to kiss her mouth. After kissing her lips, Twilight moved down to Fluttershy's next, and then stomach, circling Fluttershy's navel with her tongue teasingly. Fluttershy opened her hind legs more to allow Twilight more space. Twilight's tongue continued its teasing on Fluttershy's inner thighs, working the yellow pony up in anticipation.

Then Twilight finally moved into the main course. Using her tongue to open Fluttershy's lips and finding the sensitive nub, she soon licked the nub, causing Fluttershy to moan, and the slit to become weter. Fluttershy's moans grew in intensity until Twilight got an idea and lifted her head up.

"Hey, Fluttershy...my horn can vibrate...wanna-?"

"YES!" cried Fluttershy. With that, Twilight's horn glowed purple and began to vibrate. Slowly and carefully, Twilight inserted her horn into Fluttershy's slit. Fluttershy moaned as Twilight went in deeper, and made her horn vibrate more intensely. Suddenly, when her horn was over a rough patch in Fluttershy's canal, Fluttershy suddenly shrieked in pleasure.

_Must have found the Gr__ä__fenberg spot._

Twilight set the intensity of her horn vibration even higher, causing Fluttershy to buckle as her shrieks became so loud, Twilight was sure all of Ponyville could hear. Suddenly, Fluttershy's wings opened up on their own, spreading around her on the bed.

_The legendary 'wing boner'...she must be very aroused...I've read those are an erogenous zone..._

With that thought, while till vibrating, Twilight raised her hooves up to crease Fluttershy's wings. This sent Fluttershy over the top. Now Twilight _knew_ the whole town could hear Fluttershy, and the pegasus' body trembled with increasing intensity until suddenly a rush of fluids shot out of her, down Twilight's horn on onto her face. Twilight removed her horn slowly and looked up at her panting lover, eyes closed and body trembling. After she had settled down some, Fluttershy said,

"Give me a taste of that, lover." And with that, Twilight kissed Fluttershy, Fluttershy's fluids still in her mouth. Breaking the kiss, Fluttershy panted "my turn to make you feel good."

Now it was Twilight on her back, hindlegs spread, as Fluttershy worked Twilight's slit with her tongue, while rubbing Twilight's alicorn wings. As Fluttershy's tongue's tempo increased in speed, Twilight moaned more deeply, and her slit became wetter, until an explosion of juice went onto Fluttershy's face.

As their pants died down, Fluttershy cuddled up next to Twilight and the two feel asleep in each other's arms.


End file.
